One of the hardest situations is when one parent has died. You might have questions yourself about why it happened.
I don’t expect anyone who is suffering through this to understand everything. Neither does God. He wants you to come to Him for support.
He might have suffered through the loss of a parent, in fact. Joseph, Jesus’ foster father (that’s what Joseph was, since he and Mary didn’t conceive Jesus), is last seen when Jesus was twelve. Several times later, Mary and Jesus’ brothers and sisters are referred to, but never Joseph. In John 19:26, when Jesus tells John, “Behold thy mother,” He is giving His most trusted friend charge over the care of His mother, Mary, in her old age. In those days, this was done when the woman’s spouse wasn’t there. Joseph could have died. And, it could have been as early as when Jesus was thirteen. Even if that’s not the case, God understands because of His great compassion.
The narrative in John 11 shows God’s compassion in a similar situation. Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, were both very upset with Jesus after their brother died. They criticized and scolded Him for not being there. Jesus didn’t scold them. He wept with them, He loved them, He had great compassion on them. Jesus planned to raise Lazarus from the dead. He can’t bring back your loved one who has died. But, He can give you peace, and comfort, and joy through these trying days.
A noted evangelist named David Ring, who has severe cerebral palsy, says if it wasn’t for his mother dying, he wouldn’t have had the courage to get out and serve God. He had to become dedicated to Him, because he had leaned on his mother for everything beforehand. It was painful. But, he is not bitter about it.
The parent/guardian who is left raising you might have problems, though. I mentioned earlier that it’s important to lend a tender ear to someone who feels stressed. This is an even more important time to do so. You may need to handle other duties, too, if the person is depressed enough. Getting siblings up in the morning, even preparing meals, there are so many things which such a person needs. However, just remember, it is also even more important here to encourage and strengthen them in the Lord. As God’s Word says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11.) In other words, it’s very previous. And, it can be used to help refresh someone. Just ask God for the strength, and He will provide it. And, remember to ask other Godly people for help yourself in this situation.
