Article May 8, 2000 Issue

Lost a friend? God can help

Grief healed

By Barbara Beth Whitewater

Although We Lived far apart, Lynn and I were best buddies. We had the kind of relationship that allowed for phone calls at 2 a.m. just because one or the other was feeling blue. At a time in my life when I was wrestling with a particularly difficult problem, I started out many of my calls to Lynn crying. However, Lynn always found a way to make me laugh or to comfort me with tender words about God's unceasing devotion to His creation, including me. Having such a close friend greatly strengthened me at a time when I was saddened by the ending of another special relationship.

Then one day I received word that Lynn had passed on. I felt devastated and horribly alone. Coming on the heels of the other loss that had occurred in my life, her passing seemed more than I could bear.

But one night, as I lay awake, I asked God to help me find peace. As I listened expectantly for some comforting message, I suddenly could picture Lynn radiant, joyful, and content. I felt God was telling me that my friend was perfectly at peace and totally aware of His love for her. The thought then came, "Lynn is eternally sustained by Spirit's omnipresent grace. She's happy and is not crying for me, so I shouldn't be grieving for her." I could see that just as God was meeting all her needs, He must also be meeting mine.

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