“The Ministry of Mourning”
By
David C. McCasland
Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. Acts 8:2
In 2002, a few months
after my sister Martha and her husband, Jim, died in an accident, a friend
invited me to a “Growing Through Grief” workshop at our church. I reluctantly
agreed to attend the first session but had no intention of going back. To my
surprise, I discovered a caring community of people trying to come to grips
with a significant loss in their lives by seeking the help of God and others.
It drew me back week after week as I worked toward acceptance and peace through
the process of sharing our grief together.
Like the sudden loss of a
loved one or friend, the death of Stephen, a dynamic witness for Jesus, brought
shock and sorrow to those in the early church (Acts 7:57–60). In the face of
persecution, “Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him” (8:2). These
men of faith did two things together: They buried Stephen, an act of finality
and loss. And they mourned deeply for him, a shared expression of their sorrow.
As followers of Jesus, we
need not mourn our losses alone. In sincerity and love we can reach out to
others who are hurting, and in humility we can accept the concern of those who
stand beside us.
As we grieve together, we
can grow in understanding and in the peace that is ours through Jesus Christ,
who knows our deepest sorrow.
Father in heaven, help us
to “mourn with those who mourn” and grow together in Your healing love.
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