Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20 NLT
We’re blessed with a good theater program in our town, and my kids have always participated in plays and musicals when they could. A play is one of those things that only lasts a few weeks, but it’s good, hard, satisfying work that typically creates a feeling of teamwork and bonds of friendship that are hard to leave behind. Recently, a few days after a show at my daughter’s college ended, she commented that she felt sad because there was no rehearsal to go to.
They say that all good things must come to an end. Though we look forward to some things coming to an end, when it’s something we enjoy, endings can be hard.
I was blessed to sing for ten years with the David Johnson Chorus out of Dresden, Tennessee. Our director, after leading that merry band for twenty-four years, decided understandably that he was ready to retire. He graciously gave us a couple of years notice, so we were all able to mentally and emotionally prepare. The chorus was an important part of our lives; we’d become like family to each other; letting go was not easy.
When you have to say goodbye, it’s wise to look at what you’ve learned from the experience or the relationship and make sure to use that moving forward. When DJC came to an end, the director asked each of us to share our reflections on the experience. That was helpful for processing the change. When it was over, most of us probably needed time to decompress and hit the reset button, so to speak. But after that, it was also important to seek new outlets for creativity, productivity, and relationship.
Sometimes we reach the end of a road in Christian ministry. It may feel like we’ve come to a dead end, but if we’ll give ourselves a little space to grieve, and if we seek God’s will, He will open our eyes to new paths of mission in His kingdom.
This is how grief works, isn’t it? Whether it’s the death of a loved one, the end of a good work, or just the final curtain of a play we’ve enjoyed working on, it’s important to acknowledge the feelings and the loss, and eventually, in our own time, figure out what to do next. And, not always, but most of the time, the grief is shared. We often have the comfort of knowing we’re not facing it alone.
However, when it comes time for the curtain to fall on our final act; when it’s time to say goodbye to all we’ve ever known and travel to the “undiscovered country,” that is certainly a journey we make alone, unless we have found a friend in Jesus Christ.
All good things must come to an end, yes. But the truth is, ALL things come to an end. Except for those who are still alive when Jesus returns, every single relationship in this life will eventually require a goodbye. As I was driving back and forth to the last few DJC concerts that final season, I reflected on the fact that there is only one relationship that is truly permanent— that never requires any goodbyes— and that is a person’s relationship with Jesus Christ. Those who are in Christ never walk alone. We never have to say goodbye to Jesus. He walks with us in life and he walks with us even through death, crossing with us to the other side to welcome us to Paradise. What a Savior!
For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. Hebrews 13:5b-6
I’m so thankful to God for giving me those ten years of music and friendship. But it is an even greater joy to know the Lord, and the joy of the Lord gives us strength (Nehemiah 8:10). When we seek first the kingdom of God, it’s good, hard, satisfying work. And when we view life through the lens of kingdom work, regardless of endings, we always know what road we’re on and where it leads.
by Christie Cole Atkins
Dear Heavenly Father, we ask You to comfort us when we have to say goodbye to good things. Wrap Your arms of love around us and remind us that You are always with us, in life and in death. May our losses serve to deepen our reliance on the permanency of relationship with You. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Related Reading:
Walk Worthy 