MONDAY, FOURTH WEEK OF LENT
It Gets Better
No more shall the sound of weeping be heard, or the cry of distress. —Isaiah 65:19
Since my brother’s daughter Tanika, choked and drowned in a public pool, friends and family members have not been able to stop crying.
If I were to read them this passage from Isaiah, would they be able to believe that someday they will not weep or be distressed by Tanika’s death anymore?
Probably not, because as humans it is hard for us to believe something that is so different from what we are currently feeling and experiencing. We cannot fault others for not believing things will get better or criticize ourselves when we cannot feel such hope.
Jesus’ friends and followers wept after his death, even though he had told them he would rise again. But hopefully, we have all experienced goodness, joy, and new life after our darkest days, and perhaps those memories will console us when we cannot stop crying now. If we are not the ones mourning now, maybe we can hold out hope for others who cannot see or trust in a time when things will be better.
FOR ACTION:
If you are struggling to believe that things will get better, tell someone that today and let them share their conviction with you. If you know someone struggling now, do something to reach out to them today to offer them hope.