Larger Than Life

They said, “. . . All the people we saw there are of great size. . . . We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

On Sunday, May 3, 2020, the Guardian reported, “Icelandic actor and strongman Hafthor Bjornsson set a world record for the deadlift on Saturday when he lifted 1,104 lb (501 kg), over half a metric tonne, at Thor’s Power Gym in Iceland.”^a Bjornsson became arguably the strongest man in the world that day, lifting the weight of a full-grown cow or a concert grand piano!

Strong men might look impressive on television or in the gym, but the spies Moses commissioned for reconnaissance in the Promised Land didn’t think they were cool at all. Though the land bore luscious fruit, the men who returned with reports for Israel could only talk about giants. Everything about the Promised Land seemed larger than life. Milk and honey flowed. Jumbo grapes grew. But overshadowing all of this abundance stood intimidating opposition—fortified cities, powerful enemies, and very, very big men. Though this was the place to which God had faithfully led them, Israel saw fear, not favor.

The death of a loved one introduces us to a laundry list of similarly larger-than-life challenges. Along with the big emotions that come with grief, many deaths precipitate hard changes in our lives. Death can bring financial struggles and career changes. It can force your hand on moving to a new place or selling your house. The death of your person may provoke health difficulties or new anxieties. All of these struggles remind us that grief is a weight we cannot carry on our own. It’s just too big for us to bear. The obstacles before us can make it hard to trust God.

Thankfully, our big problems don’t faze God a bit. Instead, each problem presents an opportunity for God to display his power and goodness in our lives. As you live with grief, you face the giants of fear, scarcity, and change. You must encounter and learn to live in a life you never wanted. Nevertheless, God is still fulfilling his promises in your life, even when you see only fear, not favor. Just as he did for Israel, God will conquer the problems that intimidate you. He will lead you into a land where you can flourish. His good plans for you continue even in this hard season.

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.

A Prayer: God, everything since my person died feels too heavy for me to handle. I can’t carry the weight of my grief, and giant problems have arisen in my life because of loss. I feel so weak. Remind me today that you are with me, that none of this surprises you. Recall to my heart your faithfulness in my past, and open my eyes to see your provision in my present. Reassure me of the good future you have laid out for me. Come today and defeat my giants for me. Let me “sing in the shadow of your wings” (Psalm 63:7). Amen.

An Activity for Today: Carrying the memory of your person can feel like a weighty task. There’s so much to remember, so many little moments and details. How will you ever capture all of who your person was to you? Below, create an acrostic with your person’s name that articulates some of the qualities you loved best about your person. As you identify each word, remember a particular moment when that quality was on display and meditate on its influence in your life. (For example, perhaps your Uncle Bob’s boldness, obstinance, and bravery taught you to keep at it when the going was rough.) Save your acrostic and use it to introduce your loved one to someone who may not have known them well.

A Song to Encourage Your Heart: “Yet Not I but through Christ in Me” by CityAlight