Grief, Hope, and God’s Light

This past week has felt unbearably heavy. News of Charlie Kirk’s passing, the tragic death of Iryna Zartuska, and yet another school shooting in Colorado has left many of us with a deep ache in our hearts. And layered over it all was the anniversary of September 11^th – a day that continues to echo with grief, memory, and the reminder of how quickly life can be taken away. For many, 9/11 remains an open wound, a reminder of both unspeakable loss and the courage of those who loved, served, and sacrificed in the face of tragedy.

Grief has a way of pressing down on the soul, reminding us of the fragility of life and the brokenness of the world we live in. It can feel overwhelming, like wave after wave crashing down, leaving us gasping for breath. In moments like these, it is easy to become numb, cynical, or even angry. How much more loss can we take? How can the human heart bear so much sorrow and fear? These are not just news stories or anniversaries in history books—these are lives, families, dreams cut short. Every one of them matters, because every one of them bears the image of God.

Genesis 1:27 reminds us that all people are created in the image of God. The truth is that no life is disposable, no death insignificant, no person beyond the scope of God’s love. When we hear of tragedies like those we’ve seen this past week, our hearts should break, because God’s heart breaks too. Yet as I look around, it’s impossible to ignore the hate, anger, and violence that seem to fill our world. Everyone has an opinion on the matter or the circumstance, and too often we fail to see what truly matters—lives have been destroyed. Families are grieving. Communities are fractured. The ache is real.

And yet, even in the middle of such brokenness, Scripture speaks a greater truth. John 1:5 tells us, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The hatred we see may feel loud, but it cannot silence love. Violence may wound, but it cannot extinguish God’s healing. Darkness may threaten, but it will never overcome the light of Christ.

Paul reminds us in Romans 8:38–39 that nothing, not death, nor life, nor anything else in all creation, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. That includes terrorism, shootings, wars, disease, and every tragedy that shakes us. None of them can break the grip of God’s love.

This truth doesn’t erase the pain. The sorrow remains, the questions linger, the tears still fall. But it reframes our perspective. The story isn’t finished. God’s light continues to shine in the midst of darkness – through acts of compassion, through prayers lifted in faith, through communities holding one another close, and through hope that refuses to die.

As children of God, we are called not to turn away from the brokenness but to step into it with love. We are called to see the value in every life, to honor the image of God in each person, and to resist hate by choosing love. When the world feels unbearably heavy, may we not become numb. May we remember that every person – whether in our families, our neighborhoods, or on the news – is someone God deeply loves.

This has been a hard week, and it is okay to say so. But even in the heaviness, there is hope. God’s light still shines. His love still reaches. His presence still comforts. And one day, He will wipe every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4). Until then, we hold on to hope, we grieve with compassion, and we live as children of the light.

Lord, this world feels so heavy with grief and loss. We remember those whose lives were cut short this week and the thousands remembered on 9/11. We confess the sorrow we feel and the questions we carry, and we place them in Your hands. Comfort the families who mourn. Heal the brokenhearted. Strengthen those who feel crushed by despair. Help us to be light in the darkness, to honor every life as precious in Your sight, and to walk with hope knowing that nothing can separate us from Your love. Shine Your light upon us, Lord, until the day when You wipe away every tear. In Jesus’ name, Amen