Death creates a profound sense of loss, of being deprived of someone we love, of a dream that’s stolen from us, or a marriage that never quite lived up to the wedding. We’re left feeling bereaved, robbed, and exposed.
There’s a story tucked in Luke 7 that reached into my soul and I hope reaches into yours. Jesus is on a journey to yet another village when He sees a funeral procession and a grieving mama. His heart broke when He saw her, He felt the weight of her sorrow and grief. She’s inconsolable from the loss of her precious son when Jesus comes close, leans in and speaks tenderly to her, “don’t cry”.
Usually this would be the most insensitive words to say to someone after the death of a loved one. Then again, Jesus isn’t just anyone. I’m sure it got her attention as she processed His words and before she could think of a response, He says, “Young man, I say to you, arise and live!” Immediately he moved, sat up, and spoke.
You’ve been amongst the living dead, those whose lives were destroyed by domestic abuse. Through the course of your marriage you slowly died as he silenced your voice and choice.
The compassion Jesus had for this grieving mama, He has for you. He feels your pain, hurt, and sorrow. He knows what it’s like to have everyone turn on you, to be slandered, rejected, and humiliated.
Be-Loved, in the midst of your grief and pain He says, ‘arise and live.’
What does that look like when all you want to do is hide under the covers? You wake up, get up, move, and do the next right thing even if it’s wrong. You do something, anything, even if you’re not sure what you’re doing and take one step today. With each new day you’ll learn to not just live but you’ll begin to experience life to the fullest. Today that may sound impossible and it is, then again Jesus is in the business of impossible.
I’m not saying get over your past or pretend you weren’t severely traumatized. I’m saying that though you can’t undo what they did to you, you can choose what you do with it.
You can either give up on life, assume this is as good as it gets, that your abuser will always win or you can choose to get up, get going, get moving, to take any action to propel you into your future. You escaped the destruction, now, you can take hold of your future by just taking one teeny tiny step by choosing to arise and live.
Ask Holy Spirit what your next step looks like.
Jesus loves His girls.