Where are Your Eyes?

When we are grieving a loss it is hard to comprehend others’ hurts. I found it hard to pray for others when I was in deep grief. But, I also learned if I keep my eyes on Jesus, I can have joy during the grief. I call it healthy grieving. When I keep my eyes on Jesus, He shows me others I can help and my self absorption turns into compassion for others. I still grieve, but with my eyes in a different direction.

When Jesus’ dear friend, Lazarus, died He went to the funeral.

“Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how He loved him!’…Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.’…Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.’ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.’”

John 11:33-36, 39, 41-44

“Most assuredly, I [Jesus] say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”

John 14:12