We all experience tragedy. Sickness, injury, death. Some we see coming. Others happen in the blink of an eye. The more tragedy I experience, the more I realize how fallen and calloused we are as people. These tendencies aren't intentional, of course. They just happen. Especially in the modern, fast-paced world we're living in now. And in no way am I discounting the love and support my family has received over the years and in these past weeks specifically. All I want to do... is remind each of you that we are in this together. We hurt together. We celebrate together. And we can never stop lifting one another up.
"Where words fail, music speaks." Here is a short collection of song lyrics to help get my point across:
1. "Call Me, Maybe"- Carly Rae Jepson
The title says it all. You know someone who may be hurting? Someone has been on your mind lately? Take a pause from your busy life. Call them. Text them. Make sure they're doing alright. Go see them if you're able. The simplest gestures often mean the most.
2. "Hollow"- Tori Kelley
"Cause I'm fragile. And you know this. So hold me. Wrap me in love, fill up my cup...Cause I'm hollow." Let them know that it's okay to be sad. That it's okay to break down. That it's okay to feel hollow. Sometimes this is the hardest thing for someone to understand. They want to be strong for everyone around them. But it's not the time to be strong. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Let them know that tears are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign of being human.
3. "All Kinds of Kinds"- Miranda Lambert
"Ever since the beginning, to keep the world spinning... it takes all kinds of kinds." All kinds of kinds. Everyone is different. Everyone grieves differently. Some need to be surrounded by people constantly. Others need time alone. There is no one specific way to grieve. Try to understand their needs, and act on them accordingly. If you're not sure, don't be afraid to offer subtle hints (like a coffee break or lunch date).
4. "I'll Be Missing You"- Puff Daddy feat. Faith Evans
"Every step I take, every move I make, every single day, every time I pray I'll be missing you." The hurt won't go away after a week or a month or even a year. When you lose someone that you truly love, time doesn't heal that wound. So when life goes on and everyone else (unintentionally) forgets, be someone who jumps in with love. Be someone who goes the extra mile to comfort and encourage those who are hurting. The overwhelming love that is experienced the first few weeks after a tragedy is such a blessing. It's during the weeks and months following, though, that reality really sinks in, and this is when hurting people need to be loved the most.
5. "Give Me Faith"- Elevation Worship
"Give me faith, to trust what you say. That you're good, and your love is great. I'm broken inside, I give you my life. I may be weak. Your Spirit's strong in me. My flesh may fail. My God, you never will." Pray for and with the brokenhearted. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). As we grieve together, let us remember to lean on God who will continue to love and comfort us.
