Dealing with Grief and loss
Turning to the Scriptures for Encouragement
You might wonder, how do I go about dealing with grief and loss in my life? What Scriptures Do I turn to for Encouragement?
Sometimes, elements of nature can help us reflect on human experiences, one which I’d like to share…
photo credit: Annie Ciccanti
I thank the Lord I was able to visit Niagara Falls in 2022. I approached this magnificent site with a sense of awe at God's beautiful creation. I enjoyed every site and experience on the Maid of the Mist.
• The cool breeze carried the refreshing misty spray.
• The falls roared as the water rushed down to the Niagara Gorge.
• Gulls of the Niagara circled around as the rainbow emerged through the clouds and mist.
Getting close to the falls though was overwhelming--so much so that it literally took my breath away. The amount of wind and water caused some physical problems, but I was fine after the short wonder ride on Maid of the Mist.
I love visiting scenic places. God created so many natural wonders.
In addition to His beautiful creation, God is love.
From His very nature, God created human love. Alongside the beauty of love are emotions, and in some cases negative ones. As mentioned in the article, What Does Grief Mean? without grief, there would be no love.
Dealing with grief and loss, much like the falls, can be overwhelming due to the flood of emotions. Emotions are powerful and can overwhelm people much like Niagara falls if one was standing close to the natural wonder. You can feel like you're in a tangled mess. You might say, "I'm confused. Why am I feeling this way? Is this normal?"
On this page, I will share 3 key Scripture passages and specific, practical applications that should help you face grief confidently. I could mention many encouraging Scriptures, but you can take these three with you as highly applicable in the broad sense.
One of those passages came to me as I was exploring the Horseshoe and American Falls.
Dealing with grief and loss by meditating on the scriptures
1. 1 Timothy 1:7
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
The context of this verse has to do with timidity or fear. However, the application we can draw involves receiving God's power, love, and a sound mind in every situation including dealing with grief and loss--specifically grieving the death of loved ones.
Fear is listed among the emotions of grief in GriefShare’s guidebook.
The Lord has given us that power, love, and a sound mind. If don't possess these divine resources to cope with grief, it's because we haven't accepted or received what He offers. How do we obtain these gifts from God?
Periodically, I've enjoyed the blessing of going on personal retreats for spiritual renewal. Basically, I would get away for a few days from all the noise, distractions, and the busy schedule. Those trips allowed me to spend a great deal of quiet time with the Lord in solitude.
If I struggled with life issues, I would bring them to the Lord, turn them over, and receive His peace in place of those burdens.
It takes time. It takes persistence. As we build a relationship with the Lord and get intentional about spending time with Him regularly, He sustains and strengthens us.
2. Psalm 55:22
"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."
Speaking of sustenance and turning burdens over to God, that's exactly what Psalm 55:22 instructs. As we cast our burdens on Him, He will sustain us. Think of a time you carried something heavy in your arms or shoulders or on your back. You might have felt quite a relief turning that load over to another person. Speaking of a load, Matthew 11:28-30 is a New Testament parallel passage to this concept…
Photo by Otto Gonzalez on Unsplash
3. Matthew 11:28-30
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
The previous image mentioned paints the picture of casting a heavy load on the Lord. This passage paints a different metaphorical picture---that is joining with Christ in carrying the yoke.
In the Bible, oxen plowed fields and pulled wagons. The yoke was fastened between two oxen, so that they could pull together the heavy load.
In context, adherence to the law—trying to be righteous on one’s own power as well as human sinfulness are what leads to the burdens.
Applications to struggles with grief are as follows...
• The burden of guilt can discourage someone due to past mistakes and unresolved issues with a person's loved one;
• The way a person might deal with grief and loss might not be honoring to the Lord (i.e. expressing anger in the wrong ways, etc.);
• As we follow and listen to Christ, stay in His presence and in a relationship with Him, we will cope in healthy ways, and the emotional, spiritual, and mental burdens caused by grief will become lighter.
In dealing with grief and loss, other resources are out there including Stephen Ministry materials. Four grief booklets are great supplemental resources to help you in your journey. Click the following link for more information…
Journeying through Grief (stephenministries.org)
I encourage you to move forward by meditating on these and other Scriptures. May you find encouragement in them and take time to apply what these verses instruct in the quietness of your prayer closet.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See my other pages on moving forward in your grief journey:
Dealing with Grief During the Holidays.
Taking Steps Forward (encouragementscriptures.com)
Finding God in Grief (encouragementscriptures.com)