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Survivor's Guilt
Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (NIV)
Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (NIV)
He was a young, talented rugby player, and he was hospitalized after a very bad accident. She was a petite young nurse who nursed him back to health. Soon afterwards, they fell in love, got married, shared a beautiful life together, and had two amazing children and six grandchildren. When she became seriously ill and was hospitalized during the early days of COVID-19, he visited her every day. When the hospital announced that they would be shutting their doors because the virus was spreading, he immediately arranged for her discharge. He carried her home and became her full-time caregiver for the next four months.
There were times when he became angry and frustrated with the laundry and cooking. Sue had diabetes and she had to eat her meals on time to control her diabetes. When she stopped feeding herself, Jim fed her. At times, he felt helpless and alone, and he was afraid of the future without her.
They were in their own home alone and in isolation until she died. The fourth anniversary of Sue's death was on August 20th. At the end of my one-and-a-half-hour conversation with him, I said, "This is quite a story," and he said, "I know — you can write it if you want to." I answered, "I might do just that."
The original purpose of my call was to express my gratitude for the new duties that he had taken on as the clerk of session at our church. He shared with me that after her death, he felt guilty that she had gone first: survivor's guilt. His wonderful family, his pastors, and his brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus stepped in. He became an elder and an active participant in several areas of his church. God gave him the strength to get through one of the most challenging periods in his life. Now God is using him to help others, and he is doing it for God's glory.
As Christians, we believe that God has a plan for each of us, including the length of our lives. Therefore, it is not up to us whether we live or die, and we should not feel any guilt if we are spared while someone else dies. The apostle Paul wrote, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1 NIV)
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, You know our hearts and You know us inside and out. Please release us from the unnecessary guilt that we are carrying around today. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving us Your strength and grace to live each day in victory. For this we pray, in Your name. Amen.
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By Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (NIV)
Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (NIV)
He was a young, talented rugby player, and he was hospitalized after a very bad accident. She was a petite young nurse who nursed him back to health. Soon afterwards, they fell in love, got married, shared a beautiful life together, and had two amazing children and six grandchildren. When she became seriously ill and was hospitalized during the early days of COVID-19, he visited her every day. When the hospital announced that they would be shutting their doors because the virus was spreading, he immediately arranged for her discharge. He carried her home and became her full-time caregiver for the next four months.
There were times when he became angry and frustrated with the laundry and cooking. Sue had diabetes and she had to eat her meals on time to control her diabetes. When she stopped feeding herself, Jim fed her. At times, he felt helpless and alone, and he was afraid of the future without her.
They were in their own home alone and in isolation until she died. The fourth anniversary of Sue's death was on August 20th. At the end of my one-and-a-half-hour conversation with him, I said, "This is quite a story," and he said, "I know — you can write it if you want to." I answered, "I might do just that."
The original purpose of my call was to express my gratitude for the new duties that he had taken on as the clerk of session at our church. He shared with me that after her death, he felt guilty that she had gone first: survivor's guilt. His wonderful family, his pastors, and his brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus stepped in. He became an elder and an active participant in several areas of his church. God gave him the strength to get through one of the most challenging periods in his life. Now God is using him to help others, and he is doing it for God's glory.
As Christians, we believe that God has a plan for each of us, including the length of our lives. Therefore, it is not up to us whether we live or die, and we should not feel any guilt if we are spared while someone else dies. The apostle Paul wrote, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1 NIV)
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, You know our hearts and You know us inside and out. Please release us from the unnecessary guilt that we are carrying around today. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving us Your strength and grace to live each day in victory. For this we pray, in Your name. Amen.