4 Reasons Why I’m Comforted by Jesus’ Death

I have another confession: I can’t handle when beloved characters in a movie die.  

I can’t even handle when I know they are going to die. Let’s take for example, the movie Charlotte’s Web. It was one of my favorite movies growing up, and thought it was a great idea to let Olivia watch it. She immediately fell in love with the pig.  

A Candid Confession: This Fear Is Deep…

I let her watch it, but then we got side tracked and played outside, only for me to come inside when Charlotte was explaining to Wilbur (the pig) that she can’t make the trip home with him, because she is too tired, and basically that she is dying (I may or may not be crying right now). I made my husband immediately turn it off, because I felt the tears welling up.  

Or let’s talk about Jeremy Camp’s movie “I Still Believe”. I got about to the halfway point, when Melissa is about to shave her hair off, and again made my husband turn the movie off, because the tears were welling up. 

Let’s not talk about Puff the Magic Dragon, Bridge to Terabithia, Where the Red Vern Grows, or My Girl. I mean, really, why must the best stories have the favorite characters die? 

But my tears reflect my fear of being abandoned, rejected, and left behind by the people I love. It is a fear that I have had since I was little.  

I remember sitting in my bed as a little girl sobbing over the fact that Johnny Paper abandoned his best friend Puff.  So technically no one really dies here, but I have burst into tears in public (more than once) over the lyrics of the song. It is true, I used to work in a children’s toy store in college, and had to run off the sales floor to “pull myself together” when the song played over our stereo. There was another time I had to leave the dining hall at camp, for the same reason.  

Friends, this fear is deep. 

The Gift of Living on the Other Side of the Cross

Surprisingly though, I don’t have this same reaction when I read about Jesus and His journey to the cross. As He is agonizing before His Father about His impending death. When He is telling His disciples that He has to go. When Judas flat out betrays Him. When His disciples abandon Him, as He is about to be arrested. When He is being sentenced to death, and when He is hanging on a cross.  

For someone who can’t handle the thought of a loved one leaving, you would think I would be a mess here. And maybe I would be if I was standing in front of Him, as He is telling me “where I go you can not follow”. Would I be pleading with Him to stay? Or would I just trust in Who He is? Would I cry in grief? Or stand firm on His promises, even if I don’t understand? Would I be broken at my disbelief?  

But we have the opportunity and gift of living on the other side of the cross. We know what happens next… 

And because we know what happens next, here are 4 reasons why I am comforted (and not torn) by Jesus’ death.  

4 Reasons Why I’m Comforted by Jesus’ Death

Watch: Where You Are In The Garden

1.) We know the One who will never leave us

My fears have to do with loss. The thought of loosing someone close to me brings me to tears (and so does the thought of me leaving someone). This is a very real fear for me, especially the people closest to me. And there have been times I have not wanted to get close to people, for fear of abandonment and rejection. 

But Jesus is the One who will truly never leave us. Ever. We are His, and that means eternally, forever. We can’t lose Him. It’s impossible, because He promises to never leave us and His promises are true. 

2.) Jesus’ death wasn’t the end of the story

Plot twist, the stone that was meant to keep Him in the tomb was rolled away. Nothing could keep Jesus in the grave. Not His grave clothes, not the stone that should have been immovable, and not even death itself. Amen. 

3.) He didn’t abandon us to the grave

Jesus didn’t leave us alone. In fact, He overcame death, and our grave. Not only didn’t He leave us alone, He will never leave us alone. It is a promise to those who believe in Him. We don’t have to do life alone.  

4.) We don’t have to look for the living among the dead, when the living are not among the dead

 Read that again.  

In other words, we don’t have to grieve Jesus’ death, we get to celebrate that He is alive. We know the end of the story.  

Is it important to remember His horrific death? Yes. Because without His death, we don’t get His resurrection, and His resurrection proved that He was who He said He was.  

We get to stand in front of the resurrected King in awe and wonder, as He shows us the scars from the nails that should have kept Him in the grave, but didn’t. We get to worship the King of Kings… To know the One who promises to never leave or forsake us. The One who will never leave us calls us chosen, adopted, loved, daughter! 

This is love in its most beautiful form.  

Join the Conversation

So, we want to hear from you! What other truths about Jesus bring you comfort? Share them with us! 

If you liked this blog post, you’ll also love our anthology, Candid Conversations. While each story shares a unique perspective, the prevailing theme is that while we all struggle, there is hope to be found in Jesus. Get your copy from Amazon or click here to learn more.