4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4
I have heard story after story of people who know Jesus that when the approaching end comes they experience angels. The night Maria passed away in her sleep at the age of 10 my wife said that when she walked into her room ( to check on her and see if she needed any pain medication) she said that she had a smile on her face. I believe, after watching this video, that she saw an angel in her midst.
All throughout my grief journey, I can tell you that I also have experienced God's close presence in this way. I know there were times where I was close to my ropes end that God would send someone to me with a timely word of encouragement. There were many times I would be sitting in church and the Pastor would speak a word that I knew was something I needed to hear.
No more than a month after Maria left her earthly life I remember sitting in the break room at work asking God to help me with this grief pain. No sooner than a minute or so I heard these words, "Go to Rainbow and pick up a dozen flowers for your bride." I went back and grabbed my car keys and drove toward the Rainbow grocery store's flower department. As I got closer to Rainbow I momentarily thought about turning the opposite way toward the Cub store which I knew also had a flower department and easier to get to. But, at that moment I felt a definite tug on the staring wheel and a reminder to go to the Rainbow store.
After parking my car I walked into the Rainbow and headed straight to the flower department. At the counter was a lady in her early 40's. She looked at me and asked me how she could help me. I said I would like a dozen red roses for my wife. She went to the cooler behind her and selected out the prettiest looking flowers and began wrapping them. I shared with her the story of our tragic loss of our 10-year-old daughter Maria following her first night home from the hospital.
She paused before she shared with me that she lost her husband who had a heart attack...then she added they had his celebration of life service at New Hope Church. I was jolted when I remember that it was the same day I dropped my son off at Drama camp when I saw a white hearst sitting in front of the church and realize that that was the day of his celebration service. I gave her my condolences and mentioned I thought about going to that service, but it was too soon after our tragedy.
The next thing I did was drive up to the school my wife worked at, Meadow Creek Christian School, and surprise her with those roses. That day, God showed me that the way to heal from grief would be to be a blessing to two ladies. One who worked at Rainbow who helped me with my purchase and the other one was my wife who I was able to bless her with 12 beautiful roses. Looking back, I know that it was Jesus Christ who guided me to this place to encourage and be encouraged by someone else going through this journey.
I know that there were angels of protection watching over my wife and my son. I have other stories too numerous to share, but they are there. Jesus wants each of us to know that he died for each of us. When you accept him as your savior you open up the door to the helpers of the heavenly world. You may not see them, but you can be assured they are there. Just as angels have protected my family, encouraged me with a timely word, and made his word come alive this same Jesus wants to part of your life throughout your own grief journey and give you the evidence that Heaven is a very real place.
The worse thing we can do in this journey is to attempt to mask it with drugs and alcohol. They may momentarily cover the pain, but they will never erase the pain. Only by placing one foot in front of the other and trusting God that he knows what is best for you will you slowly recover.
Go ahead, lean into the emotions of your grief and sit back and experience the ministering angels in your life!
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