During times of difficult loss, it’s important to remember there is a calling grander than your loss is painful. Again, do not sugarcoat or diminish loss, but recognize there are greater purposes. A macro story greater than your micro story.
“God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.” Psalm 67:1-2
We cry out to God for his gracious blessing and his shining face not for our own happiness or comfort but for his ways to be more clearly understood on earth. Your response during loss reveals or obscures his saving power. Testify to his worth and goodness and refuse to wallow in your pain. Again, pain is real; but God delivers sufficient grace, new mercies, surpassing peace, lavish love, unhindered hope, and contagious comfort. These gifts reveal a story worthy of heralding good news to the nations.
“Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!” Psalm 67:3
Receive his graciousness, blessing, and shining goodness, and call on peoples to praise him. Call on all peoples to praise God.
Our God is a righteous judge and he desires to provide a way for all to know him.
“Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.” Psalm 67:4
It is imperative to grasp this idea. We exist to further his kingdom. We are to play our part in his kingdom and his will. If we respond appropriately to good and bad circumstances alike and give praise to God at all times, we will reveal joy and gladness that is available to all nations, all peoples. He is an equitable and kind judge. He is more equitable than any earthly judge. We reflect our good God and nations respond in gladness.
“Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!” Psalm 67:5
We respond in praise; the peoples of the world join our chorus. All peoples join the chorus known as his church. His church, begun after the death of Jesus, marches on as a growing chorus. All peoples who witness his goodness join us in praising him.
Genesis 12:3 pounds a stake into the ground: “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Embedded in his goodness to us is his blessing to the nations. He blesses us to be a blessing.
“So send I you, My strength to know in weakness, My joy in grief, My perfect peace in pain, to prove My power, My grace, My promised presence; so send I you, eternal fruit to gain.” E. Margaret Clarkson, “So Send I You”
The provision of increase made available to us is intended to fuel blessing to others. God blesses us and we seek to see the ends of the earth bowing with us in Revelation 7:9. We long to see “…a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.
Even in your pain, the blessing on your life should pour out gospel blessing on the nations and cause the peoples of the earth to praise God, be glad, and sing for joy. We are blessed to be a blessing.
“The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!” Psalm 67:6-7
Read the E-book Facing Loss: Lessons of Hope from My Unwanted Journey