The Loss of a Child...When We Can't Explain the WHY.

I'm sitting at my son's tutorial and have just found out that last week one of the dear ladies who works here had to fly back to her daughter's home because while she was supposed to give birth last Friday, she instead found out that the baby had died in utero.  Perfectly formed, no illness.  This baby was called back home to Heaven before ever experiencing this world.

Heartbreak.  It's sometimes--many times-- unexplainable.  Why would God allow such heartbreak in the lives of those He loves?  I wish I knew the answers to those types of questions.  All I know for sure is that His plan is greater than what my mind can comprehend.  All I can do is love those who suffer, and pray for their broken hearts to be mended.  Pray that the Holy Spirit miraculously bestow on them peace and joy even if it seems an impossibility to receive such gifts during the middle of their personal storm.

This story makes me think of the loss that Steven Curtis Chapman's family suffered a few years back.  When their precious five year old daughter was accidentally run over and killed in their own driveway.  The gift that came from that loss was a story of God's healing mercies on this family.  Their personal story and even a beautiful song written and sung by Chapman, continues to be a blessing to so many other families who are in the midst of loss.  Whether it was through illness or accident, the loss of a child must me unimaginable.  Insurmountable--without the healing mercies of our God.

Today I'm praying for all the parents out there who are struggling with the loss of their precious child.  In Steven Curtis Chapman's song, "Heaven is the Face...", he uses lyrics which touch the very heart of all of us.

Bring Your Hurting Hearts to the Cross

There's a scene in the movie, Forrest Gump, where five year old Jenny is outside playing.  She stops and prays, "Dear God, turn me into a bird so I can fly far, far away..."  We learn that Jenny's daddy is sexually abusing her and even though he gets arrested and she's finally away from her physical abuser, her pain doesn't end there.


Years later, as an adult, she is visiting Forrest.  Taking a walk together they come across the old shack where she grew up and where her abuse had taken place.  Without uttering a single word she begins to pick up rocks and throw them at that shack!  She then takes off her shoes and throws them, too.


It's at this that Forrest responds, "Jenny, sometimes there just aren't enough rocks."


Left undealt with, the old pain in our hearts turns into a scar, but is never truly healed.  Maybe we've buried it so deeply we think it's gone.  But it really isn't.   Jenny buried her pain, but never really dealt with it.


Do you have a pain buried deeply wthin your heart that you're scared to look at again?  Have you forgiven the person(s) who caused you this pain?  Forgiveness is part of the walk of faith we take as Christians. The good news is that we aren't alone.


Jesus invites us to walk with him in this life, and that walk of faith is sometimes very much like the walk He took heading down the Via Delarosa and up the hill at Calvary.  Our walk in life is full of many hurts, regret, pain, anger and even shame.  We can feel alone and abandoned at moments, just as I'm sure our Lord must have felt. We stumble and fall. We want to give up because that road is sometimes so difficult.  But not only is Jesus with us every step of the way, It is HE who welcomes us to the foot of the cross.  He offers us mercy, love, acceptance, and complete healing.  He is standing there with arms wide open.


If you've been dealing with a lifetime of pain, it's time to let it go and bring it all to the cross.  Let Jesus make you whole, and love you completely. Only Jesus can heal us from every pain! Bring him your heart...
Because in this lifetime, friends, there just aren't enough rocks...