15 Scriptures When You are Grieving

This one is a hard one for me to write because I still drown in grief myself some days.  But this blog is God’s way of healing me and I pray others are healed by it as well! 

I was going to title it “15 Scriptures to Overcome Grief” but does grief ever truly go away?  As someone who has been down this path of grief several times, I am going to say no.  At least not in my case.  There are days that it is easier but it never truly goes away.  I still have days that make me tear up thinking about my husband who has been gone for 16 years.  The second love of my life has only been gone for 8 months and I literally force myself out of bed some days and when I lost my daddy 3 months ago, it only made that feeling worse.  

I do get out of bed.  I do go about my day.  Some days it’s so hard but I can do it because I do not do it alone!  I have my Heavenly Father beside me every single step of the day. 

My youngest daughter recently told me she was frustrated with God over it.  She said she felt like I was finally standing again after losing Timothy, second love of my life, when boom I got knocked down again with my mom passing a few months later, and then boom down yet again with my daddy after spending over a week with him in the hospital. She said she didn’t know how I do it; how I keep getting up.   

It is easy to get frustrated and even easy to blame God and I have done both but I told her I could not have done it without the Lord.  Even in my anger, He carried me.  Even in my frustrations, He gave me strength and comfort.  I had a whole team of prayer warriors standing in the gap for me until I could be the one praying for myself.  And even on the days I can’t breathe from the pain and sorrow, I still have JOY!  A JOY that Satan cannot take away from me.  A JOY that can only be given by the Lord.  A JOY because I know this separation is only temporary and I will see my loved ones again!

I always go to the Word of God for wisdom, for clarity, for strength, for comfort, for pretty much everything!  These are some of the scriptures I found when looking for a way to deal with my grief and what they mean to me.  I needed to hear the Lord speak to me.  I needed Him to be the calm in my storm; my source of peace!  I need to draw near to Him so He would draw nearer to me! (James 4:8)  

The Lord is always my light in the darkness.  When I turn my eyes to Him, my darkness starts to fade away.  I have to constantly keep my eyes on Him so that the darkness doesn’t swallow me up.

Psalm 34:18

How comforting to know the Lord is always near but especially when you are brokenhearted.  I know the crushing feeling of grief and who better to save you from it than the Lord!

Psalm 73:26

I always say that I am not a strong woman; I just serve a God who is.  He continues to give me the strength I need for each day.  He wants us to come to Him daily!  As we look back, we can see how far we’ve come but as we step forward, the Lord steps forward so that we constantly grow.  So that we constantly come to Him for the strength, the comfort, the joy that we need each and every day!

Psalm 147:3

This is my prayer every day for myself and for others around me… that the Lord would heal our broken hearts.  That He will fill the void left with more of HIM!

Isaiah 26:3

You know those nights you can’t sleep because your mind is constantly racing with memories and the “what ifs”?  Those nights I read more of my Bible, I listen to my favorite ministry leaders, or I play my favorite worship music softly by my head.  In the quiet moments when my spirit is uneasy, I go to Him and He fills me with the peace I need.

Isaiah 43:2

I know you feel like you are drowning or maybe you feel like you are in the fire and there is no way out.  He is the way out!  I find comfort knowing He will not let this feeling last forever.   He will not let me drown in my grief.  We just have to take the step towards Him.  He is waiting for you…

Matthew 5:4

I have found that not only does the Lord comfort those who are grieving but He sends the right people at just the right moment to bring us comfort as well.  I cannot tell you how many times I’m driving somewhere with tears running down my face and I will get a call from someone checking on me.  Several of my daddy’s friends have contacted me just this week to check on me; by phone calls, by text messages, and by emails.  The Lord knew I needed to be comforted and He provided that comfort for me.

Matthew 11:28

Weary is the word I always use when I’m just so drained and tired from life.  When you bring your weariness to Him, He will replenish you.  He will give you just enough for the day.  Each day we are to go to Him and each day He will provide!

John 14:1

I am the queen of worrying but I am learning to let go of that.  As a child of God who truly trusts in Him, I shouldn’t worry after I’ve given it over to Him. I know He has a plan and I tell Him daily, I trust you, Lord!  I believe You are who You say You are and I give you the troubles of the day.  I hand over my grief to him daily.  Believe in His promises for you!  Believe that He will help you to overcome!

Romans 8:18

 

Romans 8:28

Romans 8:18 and 8:28 go together for me.  I will admit that I have asked God many times, “How is this for my good?”  And He has told me recently through someone else, that it had to be this way!  There is a reason for the pain.  There is a reason for everything I’ve gone through.  He still has a plan and I must be steadfast and patient. What’s on the other side is going to be worthwhile!  Don’t ever give up on the purpose God has for your life because He hasn’t given up!  Whatever storm you are facing, there is a reason for it.  Rest in His promises that He will bring you to the other side and He will bless you!

Joshua 1:9

This verse is one of my “go to” verses!  It reminds us that we have nothing to fear!  It reminds us that the Lord is beside us, behind us, and ahead of us!  He is everywhere we go and I am so glad I do not go alone!  Life is hard enough but I can’t imagine how hard it would be if I did not have the Lord with me through it all!

1 Thessalonians 4:13

What I love about this verse is the fact that as Christians we do have hope!  As Christians, we know that this pain is only temporary.  We know that this separation is only temporary.  For those that love the Lord will be together again!  Yes it still hurts and the pain is overwhelming some days but there is beauty and peace knowing that there will be a day that we will be reunited with those we have loved and lost!

Revelation 21:4

Revelation 21:1-4 is what I had printed in the program at my daddy’s Memorial Service.  It was also the verse one of his friends read to us all that day in the hospital that would be my daddy’s last.  Again, it gives me hope for the day that is coming.  The day where there is no more pain or sorrow.  The day when there is a new Heaven and a new Earth.  The day where we will be with our God!

 John 14:18

I put this one last because it is my favorite.  I used to keep my bathroom mirror covered in scriptures and reminders but now this verse is the only one I have written on my mirror.  It has been the only one for months because even when I wouldn’t go to Him, I felt His presence.  When I wouldn’t even talk to Him, the Lord was still taking care of me.  He was still bringing me comfort in my time of loss.  He gave me this verse 10 months ago to show me that even though I was angry and frustrated He was there for me.  Even though I felt alone, I wasn’t.  Even though I felt like my world was falling apart, He was there keeping it together.  He was there sending the right people my way to help me through the pain, the tears, the sleepless nights, the anger, and all the other emotions you go through when you lose people you love.  Even today, I wake up and read this verse and find comfort in my Lord.

If you are grieving today, I pray these scriptures will help you.  That they will somehow offer you some kind of peace and encouragement.  You are here reading this for a reason.  Maybe you weren’t ready before to let Him heal you but you are ready now!  Go to Him and let Him fill you up.  Let Him replenish you with what you need to get through this day!  It is hard, I know!  You may be angry with God and that’s ok. He’s a big God and He can take it! He knows you are angry so you might as well talk to Him about that anger and let Him help you let it go.  I still have days where the question of my heart is, “Why?” but I have to trust in Him.  I have to draw near to Him and listen to what He has to say!  Draw near to God today.

If you need prayer, feel free to leave your name in the comments and I will pray for you.  You don’t have to give me any reason or specifics unless you feel led to.  Just know I will be lifting you up to the only One who knows exactly what you are going through and knows exactly what you need!  

Blessings, 

 

If you having trouble praying during this season and need some inspiration, then I suggest the book by Anne Graham Lotz called The Light of His Presence: Prayers to Draw Near to the Heart of God(affiliate link) It was recommended to me recently and has truly helped me in my prayer life.  There have been so many times when I have bowed my head to pray and have been at a loss for words.  You wouldn’t think I would ever be at a loss for words but when those moments happen, I will read one of Anne’s prayers and be inspired to pray my own!