No
doubt every sorrow has a mission. It comes to us, as God's messenger,
with a message. If we will welcome it reverently, and be still while
it gives its message, no doubt we shall receive some benediction.
Yet we must look at this whole matter carefully and wisely. We are in
danger of thinking only of ourselves, and of the effect upon us and our
life of the griefs that smite us. We think too often of our
bereavements, for example, as if God took away the friend, ending his
life, just to chasten or punish us. But we have no right to take so
narrow a view of God's design in the removal of loved ones from our
side. His purpose concerns them as well as us. They are called away
because their work on earth is done, and higher service in other
spheres awaits them. To them death is gain, promotion, translation.
The event itself, in its primary significance, is a joyous and blessed
one. The sorrow which we experience in their removal is but an
incident. God cannot take them home to glory from our side, without
giving us pain. But we must not reverse this order and think that the
primary end of the calling away of our beloved ones is to chasten us,
or to cause us to suffer. No doubt there is blessing for us as well as
for them in their leaving us, since all things work together for good
to them that love God; but we unduly exaggerate our own importance when
we think of God as laying a beautiful life low in death merely to teach
us some lesson or give to us some blessing.
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