Aug 14th, 2023: Sudden Death

Many of us dislike the concept of sudden death in a sports competition. We prefer that either team gets the chance to compete against the other fairly within the allotted time. When the game suddenly ends, it always leaves the losing team and their fans with a sense of deflated emptiness.

We can sense the disbelief from the losing side. Players look up at the empty space, wondering what just happened. Some walk dejectedly towards their team bench. Some hug one another. Some outwardly express disappointment and sadness.

However, this is nothing compared to unexpectedly losing a child. Our minds will never fully comprehend the reality of what happened. We wish we could turn back time to change the outcome. It is indeed unfair and incomprehensible. Time seems to stand still because suddenly, time makes no sense. We want to be left alone to grieve. We have a deep need to protect those we just lost, even though we know it's not possible. We wake up to face another day and try to define its meaning.

Personally, I am not someone who will recite Scripture indiscriminately when attempting to comfort those who mourn. Furthermore, I am baffled by those who feel the need to say unnecessary things. We will appreciate Scripture much more when we allow ourselves to walk in suffering with one another. In the depths of our suffering, we also experience the broken heart of God.

Psalm 73:26

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."