Feb. 17 "Matthew" (012)

Rob is in a hotel room, getting ready for the day. He begins talking about his friend Matthew, a teenager who was killed in a car wreck. "This kids, "Rob says, "was so, so talented."

• Think of someone you've lost. How do you remember that person?
• How would you describe the way you're feeling about your loss?

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. - John 11:33 (NIV)

Rob advises not bottling up feelings, whatever they are. "If we stuff it, then it's in there somewhere, and it will come out. Maybe you lost somebody a long time ago and you never properly grieved. The it's in there somewhere."

• What do you think it means to "properly grieve?"
• Have you let the full force of your loss hit you?

Jesus wept. - John 11:35 (KJV)

• Why is it so easy to become bitter when we lose someone we love?
• Have you chosen not to be bitter?
• Is guilt stopping your heart from recovering?

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up. - Psalm 71:20 (NIV)

"It's easy , when we suffer loss, for whatever it is that we've lost to become the center of our life...it becomes all we can think about, "Robs cautions. "Our whole life becomes what we don't have and we lose out on what we do have."

• Think about who you do have.
• Do you trust that God will someday restore everything?
• Do you believe that includes being reunited with the people you love?

He [Jesus] must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. - Acts 3:21 (NIV)

Class discussion:
Video note: In memory of Matthew Winfield Diederich 1977-2004.