How Do You Ever Smile Again?

I saw a news story just days ago about a woman who lost her two kids and her parents in a fire a year ago at Christmas. I wondered, if you are that poor woman, how do you ever smile again?

I watched in horror today as the unthinkable news reached us that a gunman had killed 20 young children and 6 adults at an elementary school in Connecticut. Again I thought, if your child was taken so needlessly today, how do you ever smile again?

Each time, my heart broke in compassion for those that were in those situations. And each time as that question crossed my mind, "How do you smile again?" I heard the answer whispered in my ear. Jesus.

Only Jesus could ever bring a smile back to those broken, mourning faces. I see no other way to ever smile again. But Jesus can bring back the smile, because in Him those grief stricken, hurting parents can have the promise of seeing those babies again.

My prayers tonight are for the survivors. May Jesus somehow bring a real smile back to each face. This dark world has stolen it, and it may seem impossible to ever smile again... But in Christ there is hope beyond this dark world.

How do you ever smile again? Only by the grace of God, through Jesus Christ.