Tuesday, July 17, 2007

a sister's sorrow


"...I will turn their grief into gladness. I will give them comfort and joy in place of their sorrow." Jeremiah 31:13

I got the news late last night. A friend had emailed me of devastating news to her & her family. A son lost, forever. A truck collision, she said. Oh, no! How awful! The tears came...it's not right, Lord. A mother losing her son. There's something so wrong about a parent outliving their children. I remember my Gram telling me that when my Uncle Ken passed on.

I felt bereft of how to respond to my friend's grief. How could I possibly understand? How could anyone unless they've gone through the same? And in my inbox, coincidentally, another email from a friend with encouragement:

"...there will be times that one of your [friends] is carrying a heavy load and the opportunity to comfort and encourage her may present itself. Let me just say that these are the moments we can not shy away from. This is why we exist. Counseling is an intimidating word, but this is the way we define it: To carry one another's burdens. Don't worry if you don't feel "adequate". None of us do. But miraculously God equips us at just the right moment if we will be willing to yield to His leading. You don't have to have all the answers. All that is required is that you allow your [friend] to lean on you in her season of difficulty. Don't be afraid to be transparent. As you share openly and honestly wtih your sister, God will use your testimony to reveal truths that she can draw encouragement from.

Note of caution: We "carry" one another's burdens straight to the cross. As your sister shares with you, pray for her and then trust her situation to the Lord . Do not carry it home with you. Do not drag it around at work. We "carry" it to the cross and leave it there.

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." -Galatians 6:2

my email

3 comments:

Christina Ketchum said...

I can't imagine the pain and suffering of losing a son. I pray every night that my son will outlive me. I know heaven is a wonderful place but it is hard to imagine me still living on earth without my son. I will be praying for your friend. What is her first name?

Canadian Bird said...

Sorry...I should have been specific for those of you who know them...some of you will already know about it: John & Bobbie Bonno are the ones who lost their son, Drew. He was 39 & lived out of state. Tomorrow (Wednesday) morning is the memorial.
Contact me if you want any more info...

DeeDee said...

What a great reminder, Robin. This is why we build community. It's times like these that we must carry one another's burdens. I will be praying for the Bonno family.