In life, every one of us will face the inevitable moment of saying goodbye to those we love. The pain that comes with death can feel unbearable at times.
We ask ourselves: “If God is all-powerful, why does He allow death to hurt so much?”
President Russell M. Nelson, prophet and servant of the Lord, once answered this very question at a funeral when a sister asked him the same thing.
He replied that God could indeed remove the sting of death, but to do so He would also have to remove the love out of life.
Then he asked: “Are you willing to pay that price?”
The sister responded, “No.”
This simple yet profound exchange teaches us an eternal truth: the pain of death exists because love existed first.
馃摉 The Sting of Death in the Bible
The Apostle Paul, with great conviction, declared:
“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
(1 Corinthians 15:55)
Through Jesus Christ’s resurrection, death has been conquered. The grave does not have the final word. Though grief is real and heavy, the gospel gives us comfort: pain is not eternal, but temporary, because life continues beyond the veil.
The love we feel for those who pass is exactly what makes their absence so painful. We do not mourn the loss of a stranger; we mourn the loss of one we deeply loved. The sting of death is, in truth, a testimony that we were capable of loving and being loved.
馃摉 The Book of Mormon and Hope in Christ
The Book of Mormon affirms and expands this eternal principle:
• “Christ shall suffer death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people.” (Alma 22:14)
• “The bands of death shall be broken, and the Son reigneth… the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.” (Mosiah 16:8–9)
Physical death came because of Adam’s fall, but resurrection came through Jesus Christ. Because of Him, every one of us will be raised again, with glorified bodies, free from sickness and pain.
Thus, the love we feel for our dear ones does not end at the grave. The sorrow of mourning is simply a reminder that something eternal awaits us: the glorious reunion with those we miss so deeply.
馃摉 Words of Modern Prophets
Modern-day prophets have spoken powerfully about this reality:
• President Nelson taught that grief is evidence that we have loved deeply. If death did not hurt, it would mean there was no love.
• Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said: “God gives us love so that we will know what it means to lose it, and He gives us His Son to ensure that we will recover it.”
• Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf reminded us: “The pain we feel now is the price of the joy we once had. And true love is never lost.”
These teachings affirm that God’s plan is perfect. He allows us to feel the sweetness of love and, even though death brings sorrow, He gives us the promise of eternal reunion.
馃尶 Final Reflection
The pain we feel at death is not a punishment. It is the natural consequence of having loved deeply. But it does not end there: because of the atoning sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that pain is transformed into hope, faith, and trust in eternal life.
When we weep for someone who has passed away, we are bearing witness that our lives were filled with love. At the same time, the gospel reminds us that separation is only temporary. One day, in the glory of God’s kingdom, we will once again embrace those we so dearly miss.
Thus, the “sting of death” becomes a testimony that love never dies, for in Christ, all things will be restored.
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