We will grieve if we had not loved them when they were still with us. We will grieve even more, if we had been unkind towards them. Hence, when you are with your loved one, accept for a fact of life that they may sometimes do things that irritate or anger you (just as you also do so to others). But refrain from retaliating. You may not have a chance to heal the wound you inflict on your loved one by your unkind or hurtful words.
We will grieve if we did not have an opportunity to show them gratitude for the love and care they showered on us when we needed love and care. Hence, when you have the opportunity to repay them for their kindness to you, do it immediately.
But we grieve the greatest when our loved one dies without receiving Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. The Bible clearly says that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). The Bible also clearly proclaims that “all have sinned” (Rom 3:23). Therefore, your loved one is a sinner in the eyes of God. Hence, he or she will suffer the penalty for having sinned against God. Your loved one will hence die in hell for all eternity because he or she too is a sinner. There is no one who is without sin. Hence, if your loved one dies today without his or her sins being totally forgiven by God, you will grieve greatly. No one can comfort you because your loved one will perish in hell for eternity. When will they die? Only God knows. They may die anytime. For this reason, you must make urgent plans to share the gospel with your loved one.
You must not say: “I’m very busy this week or this month. I’ll bring her to church or tell him or her the gospel next month.” Your loved one may not have next month. What is stopping your from doing something to bring her Jesus’ salvation? Are you afraid you’ll be scolded? It is better to be scolded than to regret. The church leaders and I, the pastor, are ever ready to share the gospel with your loved one, if you wish. But you need to be brave. Are you feeling discouraged because he or she has rejected you? Pray and try again. You never know. When you pray, God may enlighten his or her heart. Then, the next time you try, that person may just receive Jesus as Saviour. But if he or she rejects you again, and passes away from the world without Jesus as Saviour, at least you know you have been responsible towards his or her soul. You will be at peace.
When your loved one dies with Jesus as Saviour, you will grieve, but you will grieve with perfect peace and joy. Does that sound strange or contradictory to you? No. It makes perfect sense. You grieve because you are going to miss him or her. But you rejoice because you know that the person you love is now in a far better place called heaven. He or she is now rejoicing with perfect and eternal joy in the presence of the Saviour, Jesus Christ. You will rejoice because you know you will meet your loved one again, and never to part. Hence, don’t wait. Do something urgently so that your loved one can hear the gospel and receive Jesus as Saviour.