A Time to Mourn: Grieving the Loss of Those Whose Eternities Were Uncertain

To a Christian, the death of an unbeliever is heartbreaking. But even in the darkness of grief, there can be light. Will Dobbie’s nuanced examination of the hope found in the Bible offers more than shallow comfort.

The death of unbelieving loved ones is a taboo. Often we don’t know how to grieve, or how to comfort Christian friends who have experienced that loss. Where do we find hope when all seems hopeless? The answer is in the character of the God who reveals Himself in the pages of Scripture.

With the tone of a pastor, who knows how hard it is to lose an apparently unbelieving friend, Will Dobbie directs our eyes towards the One who alone knows for certain the destiny of the departed. He points us to the God who, in the case of the lost, shares our heartache and comforts us, the God who is loving and compassionate as well as just and holy and wise. Ultimately, he shows us the God who is glorious.

Will does not shy away from tough questions along the way. If hell is real, how loving is God really? What about predestination? What about those who were never able to hear the gospel? What about infants? What about those with severe mental disabilities? What about those who commit suicide? And in the case of someone I dearly loved, who was unsaved, how can I have any peace, any closure, ever again?

If you are mourning a loved one whose eternity was uncertain, or seeking to comfort someone who is, this book offers not shallow consolation, but the truth and solace of Scripture.