Moving On

“Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.” - Isaiah 57:1-2 
 
Through the prophet Isaiah, God envisioned a dramatic reversal of fortune for those believers who went home to be with the Lord during the conquest of the Babylonians. When the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem in the year 586 BC, they radically transformed Jewish life.

They opposed the Jews politically and imposed their culture, their literature, and their language on the Jewish exiles. The social and psychological trauma of the conquest forced many Jews to figure out how to survive this unexpected threat and to figure out how to pull the pieces of their lives together.  

There was a real existential tension between the notion of pulling ourselves together so we can move on and trying to come to terms with the grief of the lost lives. Family members, friends, and religious leaders wrestled with needing to move forward, and yet provide comfort for the grief that had gripped their hearts.  

In a real sense, we know what this is like. Over the past two and a half years during this COVID-19 pandemic, life as we knew it was greatly altered. Our work lives, social lives, family gatherings, and for many, the health of those we love.
 
This was a real thing, and it really affected the people we care about. But did we ever stop to think about it? Have you thought about it? Have you done your grieving of all that was lost? 
Isaiah 57:1 says, “Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.”

I know we must move forward, but did you stop to grieve first? Everyone must heal in their own way. The world will tell you to just keep pressing forward, and there comes a point when this is true. But that timing is not the same for everyone.  

Do you need to stop and grieve? If so, I want you to know it is okay. You can have that moment. And God is with you as you do. Allow Him to heal you in His time, His way, and do not worry about what others believe your timeframe should be.