An Open Letter to My Grieving City

On December 4, 2013,  a junior from Lakeville North died tragically in a car accident. Two years later, on December 4, 2015, another car accident took the lives of two students from Lakeville South. The two other teens in the car were transported to the hospital by ambulance and helicopter. My heart hurts for Lakeville. 
If you're like me, you are finding it very difficult to comprehend why tragedy has struck the young people of our city once again. It feels as if we're always healing from tragedy, experiencing tragedy, or about to encounter tragedy. How is this fair? Why did this happen?
We don't always get the answer to the why right away, but I do know that God meets us in these times of sorrow. Last night as I scrolled through social media before I went to bed, I was reminded of what happened two years ago on the same day. And just like two years ago, tragedy brought a city together. People were tweeting comforting verses from scripture, many were expressing that they were praying for those who were hurting, and I heard of a prayer gathering at Lakeville South that physically brought those in mourning together. That is something very beautiful.
God is at work here. In this city. At this time. Through this tragedy. 
Suffering isn't the final answer. Death doesn't win. We have hope, we have peace, we have comfort in one thing and one thing only: Jesus Christ has overcome the world. 
The birth of Jesus is something that we celebrate around this time of the year at Christmas, but I pray that we would also be Easter people in this season - those who celebrate not only His coming, but also His death and resurrection. The Son of God became human so we could become sons of God. 
How? Because the perfect world was tainted with sin by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we were all born sinners (Romans 3:23). We all stood guilty of wrongdoing before God. Our sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2); our sin makes us spiritually dead (Romans 6:23); our sin deserves a punishment (2 Thessalonians 1:9). We can't save our selves from our sin. Being a good person or doing good things can never make up for how gross our sin looks in the eyes of a perfect, sinless God. We need a Savior. "But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus, who is the fullness of God confined to skin and bones (Colossians 2:9), lived a sinless life (1 Peter 2:22), set his face to Jerusalem knowing he would die (Luke 9:51), and bore our sins on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). He died in our place. He took the punishment we deserve. And in doing so, he made us righteous. He reconciled us to the Father. Through him we have salvation. Through Him we have the hope of heaven - a place with no more no more death, mourning, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4). 
Can I let you in on something I cannot wrap my mind around? I do not understand how people overcome trials of this world without God as their Rock. In my opinion, the only thing that makes sense about this tragedy is that these boys are now rejoicing with their Creator in heaven. That is something to praise God for. And I believe that as eternity becomes more and more real to us, our mourning will turn into rejoicing.
But that doesn't take away from the fact that things are hard right now, I know. A rush of emotions is making it hard to focus on anything else. You're mad one minute, and sad the next. You're upset that this happened, or maybe you're still in denial that it did. Let me tell you something, it's okay to not be okay. If you want to cry, cry. If you want to scream, scream. It's okay to not be okay. 

To the friends and family of the boys:
Your pain is real.  Your hurt is real.  Your grief is real. 
Your tears, your sobs, your anger, your screams, your cries - it's all very real. Jesus told us in John 16:33 that "In the world you will have trouble, but take heart; I have overcome the world." 
Don't grieve on your own: Talk to God. Talk to friends. Talk to your parents. Talk to your pastor. Talk to your coach. Talk to your dog. Talk to someone.
To the friends and family of the friends and family: 
May we learn how to comfort those who are hurting. Let's reach out, show love, be present, and pray without ceasing. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
Show love to those around you: give more hugs, show compassion, be kind, encourage each other, talk to others about their grief, and listen when they share.

Let's all mourn, but let's not mourn without hope.  Don't become callused to how God is using this hardship to bring others to Him. Don't turn away from how God is reaching out to comfort you in this time. And at all times, may we remember that life is short, and heaven is our home. 

"The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves the crushed in spirit." 

Psalm 34:18