Philip Yancey’s book Reaching for the Invisible God (2000) tackles faith’s most difficult questions and issues. It is an honest book—honest about how challenging it can be to hold on to faith sometimes, honest about doubt, honest about faith’s disappointments, and honest about the failure of many Christians to hang on because of adversity or temptation. It is also a hopeful book. Yancey powerfully describes many reasons for remaining faithful, in spite of the dark times in life.
He said he began working on the book by asking many people this simple question: What difference does faith make in your life? How is your life different from someone who does not believe in Jesus?
One middle-aged woman who was battling cancer replied: “I worry like anyone else. I can’t help it. I worry about the cancer. I worry about my kids. Would they be okay without me? I know worrying doesn’t help, but I do it anyway. Still, I have an underlying confidence in God, and faith that He is in control. Some people call it a crutch; I call it my faith. For a crippled person, there is something worse than having a crutch, and that is, not having a crutch.”
The best response was by a hospice nurse who described the difference faith makes at the bedside of dying patients. She said: “I see a difference in how families with faith handle death. They mourn, of course, and cry. But they also hug each other and pray and read hopeful Bible verses. There’s less terror. For those without faith, death is final; it ends everything. They stand around and talk about the past. Christians talk about the past, but they also talk about the future.”
That is a big difference.
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I Thessalonians 4:13-14 — Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
John 16:22 — (Jesus said), “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
John 1:27 – (Jesus said), “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
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Prayer after the death of a loved one:
Father, it has been painful to part with ______ whom I loved so much. Help me not grow bitter or lose faith. I thank you that Jesus loved us so much that he died and rose to give us life and hope. Help me to live in the assurance that He is always with me. Now that I have another loved one in heaven, give me a growing desire for the day when I shall be there, too. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
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Lord of life, we give you thanks for all those who have kept the faith, entered into their rest, and gone on ahead to the promised land. Give us grace to remain faithful and follow in their footsteps, as they followed in the footsteps of your Son. Keep alive in us the memory of those dear to ourselves whom you have called to yourself; and grant that every remembrance of them may turn our hearts from things seen to things unseen, leading us always upwards to you, until we come to our eternal rest; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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