Faith in God, God's Love, Our Hope

 By Angela Geier, Administrative Assistant for the Nebraska Synod

I’ve heard it said that “the more you are forced to suffer here in this life, the holier God is calling you to be”. If that is true and I have done my math correctly, I should be a saint by the time I am 60.  


If I was asked what “Faith, Hope, & Love” meant to me 14 years ago, I would had given an entirely different answer than I give today.  In these last 14 years I have endured triumphs and tragedies, and withered the storms of life. Yet I am blessed with the family and friends I have, and I have gained a deeper understanding of my personal and spiritual growth.  Surprisingly, that understanding came in moments of despair, barely clinging to my faith, it was just that- my faith in God.  He was my strength, to withstand the sorrows and sufferings, that persevered me through the darkest moments. I was brought closer to God not only in my faith, but in the love and hope he promises us. In this journey called life my love for God is the only reason I still had and have faith and hope.  

When I was younger and even into my early adulthood, I didn't thoroughly appreciate the virtues of faith, hope, and love. In fact, the very definition of these words was always somewhat vague and superficial to me. I'd argue this is true for many people in our society today. However, in March of 2019 that all changed: I lost my oldest child, my backbone, my son Landon. And as excruciating and unbearable as that suffering was, and continues to be, it's given me a deeper understanding of those three virtues. 

Faith. During these past two years I've had to cling to my faith tighter than I ever thought possible. The truth of the matter, there were times that I thought of letting go. It just didn't make sense that a loving God would permit such tremendous pain on one of His own children. It began hindering my faith. However, instead of attending mass once a week, I would randomly attend during the week and sit in the pews praying.  It was then when I looked up at the Cross and something clicked. God knew exactly what I was going through. He knew the suffering and He knew the pain. 

If you were to ask any bereaved parent, they will undoubtedly tell you that there is an unspoken bond and closeness they feel towards other bereaved parents because they're the only ones who truly understand. God knows and feels the pain, because He too, lost His Son.  Jesus went to Calvary to be hung on a cross and crucified, willingly, for all of us to be saved. That Love is immeasurable. It's a Love I can't fully comprehend, but it's also a Love that gives me the greatest Hope. The Hope that someday, by keeping my Faith in the Lord, I will be reunited with my son in the presence of our Savior.




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