Why celebrate a death anniversary?

Is there something good in death? 

Death is an unwelcome guest and has no place in creation. This was the result of sin and disobedience.

Though people say that our loved ones are in a better place now and there is no pain where they are, losing them is still unbearable. The death anniversary of someone we cherish the most intensifies our grief. 

Celebrating a death anniversary is like revisiting one of your darkest moments. This is about feeling all the pain and witnessing the suffering of our loved ones before they die again. 

Moreover, it was the day when you did not know how to help them ease their pain and wished to have longer hours, days, months, and years to be with them. 

Besides, it was the day you begged God for a miracle, but it did not happen. Nothing from anyone could make you feel better.

So, why do we have to celebrate a death anniversary when celebration means merriment? Is there something to rejoice about when we lose the love of our lives? 

Why celebrate a death anniversary

As Christians, we know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. 

God may not have orchestrated the deaths of our loved ones, but He could still make things beautiful out of our devastation.

It is the hope that we can lean on in times of grief, especially when the day of their death approaches.

One way to deal with grief is to help ourselves look at the bright side of our situation. Although it is never easy to see the good in this painful situation, it could help us to ease the pain and still see the beauty of life.

Here are some reasons why we can still rejoice on the death anniversary of our loved ones.

We celebrate their freedom

If your loved ones died from severe sickness, we could be happy that they are not struggling anymore. Imagine their pain when they are still suffering from their illness, and we can not do anything to lessen it.

Additionally, some of our loved ones may have been dealing with stress or depression because of their challenges while still on earth. Some are tired of fighting their battles and are now free from worries and anxieties.

Thus, we can rejoice, for they are now free from the sufferings, struggles, and burdens they had. Love is about being happy for our loved ones, even if it hurts. 

We celebrate their lives

Rather than remembering the pain of losing them, we could cherish the memories we had with them. We could celebrate the life they had when they were still living here with us. 

Those good and bad memories we had with them could be our tools for believing they are still alive in our hearts. You can gather with your family, talk about those memories, and laugh together. 

We do not need to be bitter and avoid talking about the person we have lost. Sometimes it helps to voice your feelings instead of keeping them to yourself.

Furthermore, you can reminisce about how kind they are toward others. They could have had an impact on anyone they met.

No matter what happens, we should always thank the Lord for the time He has given us to be with our loved ones. Those laughter and tears you shared are priceless and worth remembering.

We celebrate their salvation

Knowing that our loved ones had accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior before they passed away is another reason to be happy. We rejoice that Christ has given them salvation from eternal death. 

Although some beliefs say that our loved ones are already in heaven with the Lord, in contrast, others believe they still need to wait for the second coming of Jesus Christ before being resurrected and being with God. 

But regardless of the truth, we are still assured they are saved. We are secure that they are with Jesus Christ, who is in a far better place than this world.

Apostle Paul noted in Philippians 1:23, "I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.”

We celebrate their victory

Our loved ones’ deaths show that they have finished the race. 

2 Timothy 4:7 says, “I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” 

When one of our family members graduates or finishes a course, we celebrate their hard work and perseverance. The same is true with the deaths of our loved ones. 

Even though it is so difficult to celebrate during this challenging moment, we rejoice because we are proud of their achievement of finishing the race of life faithfully to our Lord. 

Our loved ones may not be perfect, but we know they have worked hard to obey God’s commandments and to please Him. Thus, it is a reason for us to celebrate their success. 

In addition, they have become role models of how we should use our time wisely in serving the Lord and loving our loved ones who are still with us.

More importantly, their testimony could empower us whenever we feel like giving up. 

We celebrate their heavenly rewards

Imagine our imperfect loved ones here on earth receiving a crown of righteousness in heaven. Why should we not rejoice in that? We should be so proud of our loved ones receiving their heavenly rewards.

2 Timothy 4:8 says, “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

After all their sacrifices and sufferings here on earth, they now experience the results of storing their treasures in heaven. They are happy, enjoying what they have worked for, and so should we. 

Thinking that our most sovereign God rewarded and honored their labor is something that we could be joyful for.

Sorrowful joy

Despite the good reasons to celebrate the death anniversary of our loved ones, we cannot deny that we are still hurting and longing for them. 

Nevertheless, when we depend on God’s grace amidst our grief, He will give us “sorrowful joy.” Although it is painful not to be with our loved ones every day, God has given us the hope that someday we will be reunited with them. 

Additionally, let us use our longing for them to become a better version of ourselves so we can finish our own race faithfully. Let us use our grief to fight all the battles in life by surrendering our pain to God.

Moreover, in our grief, may we remember that our loved ones never want us to suffer for their loss. They never wanted us to hate life and stop living.

Through God’s comfort, we could have peace and hope amidst our longing for our loved ones. 

More importantly, remember that God is always close to the brokenhearted. You are not alone.  God will give us His wisdom to get through the day.