Joy comes in the morning
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4.
Mourning is the pits.
I’m not the first woman to lose a husband and I surely won’t be the last. Chances are, if I remarry I’ll be widowed again. I pray that God will prepare me to accept a new love, if he ever appears, even though it may result in another loss.
Grieving affects every aspect of your life, from the time you wake in the morning until your head hits the pillow again, and sometimes even after that. At first, everything moves in slow motion and your senses are dulled. The sun doesn’t shine, snow isn’t cold, and food has no taste. That’s okay, because you don’t feel hungry or full; you eat just because it’s mealtime. If you remember to eat, that is. How can I be blessed when I’m mourning?
In the dictionary, “blessed” is defined as “fortunate, blissfully content, consecrated, or worthy of reverence.” How can I feel those things when I’m walking through the valley of death?
When predicting his passing, Jesus told his disciples that they would grieve. They were, after all, only human and if Jesus died, they’d lose their hope of freedom. But he also said their grief would turn to joy, much like when a woman suffers intense pain in giving birth but is ecstatic afterwards. It’s worth all the labor when you realize the outcome.
Through my loss, I’ve met and befriended many widows and widowers. Our friendships began with shared experiences. It then grew to affection and admiration of strength and the ability to cope and move on. We’ve talked, prayed together, and been there for each other when loneliness sets in and tears won’t stop. An acquaintance is someone you laugh with, but a true friend is someone you cry with. These are my friends.
All my life, I’ve dreamed of being a motivational speaker, but until I was deeply hurt and learned to deal with that pain, I didn’t have much to talk about. Now, I’m “fortunate” to have enjoyed a wonderful marriage and “blissfully content” to help others deal with hard times. You could say I’ve mastered the first two definitions of blessed. I’m still working on the “consecrated” and “worthy of reverence” parts, and I hope they’ll come eventually.
But for now, I feel truly blessed, even when mourning. When you mourn, seek comfort in Him for you are blessed.
Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and Clare Bloomfield.
Debbie Hardy is the author of Stepping Through Cancer, A Guide for the Journey, and the upcoming Free to Be Fabulous from 40, 50, and Beyond: 100 Ways to Look, Act, and Feel Younger. A Colorado resident, widow, mother, and grandmother, Debbie is a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, National Speakers Association of Colorado, and several writers groups. Her positive outlook and joy in Christ have helped her transition from corporate America to writing, speaking, and encouraging others. Check out her blog at FreeToBeFabulous.wordpress.com and her website at SteppingThroughCancer.com.
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