One helpful idea to help you cope with grief

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? Psalm 8:2-4 (NIV)

Friday found me at a funeral. 

My friends’ mom passed away from breast cancer this last week. 

I didn’t know her very well. I think I only met her a couple of times in my teens and early twenties. 
But I love her daughters. 
And regrettably, I know cancer. 
Because of that I felt a deep loss. 

I don’t find funerals easy. Who does?

Many times I don't accept death gracefully.

I am angry at the pain I see in the residue of death. 

I wonder why the young die, why the healthy die, why people suffer.

I feel angry when I forget that death is really just an invitation to a much better life: a life where there is no need for tears or tombstones or ambulance sirens.

Before and after the funeral I found myself staring at pictures of galaxies. This might just have been a co-incidence but personally I think God knew I would need it. Last week, I started working with a new client. They sell telescopes so there are plenty of pictures of the stars for me to wade through. 

Click-after-click my eyes focused on a universe of beauty that God put in the sky just to shout out his praise. 

As I looked at those images of stars they reminded me who God is. 

I looked at the stars: the stars God strung just to astonish us, the stars He named to reveal His bigness, His majesty and His sovereignty and I remembered that God is not spiteful but awe-inspiring. 

I thought about how He is both the man who wept for His friend and the God who breathes light out His mouth. 

I considered the stars and remembered that they only burn so brightly because they are dying. As each star burns out and shoots across the sky, I am reminded that in each death I grieve, there is beauty and mystery, if I only choose to see it.

In each death, God is there if I only choose to see him. (tweet this)

For now, when I struggle with death, you’ll find me stargazing and looking for God. 

Ponder: What are some mysteries of life and death you struggle with? What experiences remind you of God's sovereignty in light of those?

Prayer: God, I'm struggling with grief and I need you to come and show me you are with me. Thank you that I can look up at the stars every night and be reminded that you are large enough to handle my pain right now. Amen.

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- This was orginally published on my site in August 2015. To read more devotionals like this go to ilovedevotionals.com