If you’ve lost a friend or loved one, you know grief. You know that it comes and goes. Some days it is unbearable. Other days it is a constant hum in the background of your mind as you try to get back to your normal routine. One that is missing a very important person. Whether you’re mad at God, leaning on God, or aren’t sure where God is, here are 8 Bible verses for grief that can bring hope today.
8 Bible Verses for Grief to Read After a Loss
Revelation 21:4
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.“
There is hope in death because of heaven. God is good, loving, and gracious, and our time on earth is not the end; it’s not the goal. It is only the beginning of our everlasting life in heaven with Jesus. If your loved one was in pain and suffering from illness, they are free from all of that in heaven. That means my mom’s hair has grown back, her vocal cords are healed, the cancer is gone, and her strength has returned. That makes me happy, even on the days that I’m hurting.
Romans 8:18
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
The Bible makes it very clear that Christians will experience suffering throughout life. Everyone will. It’s inevitable. Evil exists, and Evil is the ruler of the world. But God is the ruler of heaven, and that’s where all of the hope is… not for our temporary life but for our eternal one.
Psalm 34:18
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Following Jesus doesn’t mean all suffering is removed, and only good things happen. But it does mean that when bad things happen, we are cared for by the most powerful, loving One in all the earth. God cares about you. He knows your heart is broken, and He grieves with you. He is close to those who are crushed. If that’s you, tune into His presence.
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Grief is exhausting. It is heavy. It is a burden you now have to carry as you try to go about life and not fall short of your responsibilities. Sure, you can go to sleep at night, but even that won’t provide you with the type of rest God gives. He gives rest for the soul. He gives rest from the grief.
Psalm 147:3
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
You may not see it or believe it now, but living with the grief does get easier. Not because you miss the person any less, but because you allow God to mend and heal your heart so you can continue living, letting the experience change you for the better. Let the experience bring you closer to God, so you can help others find Him too.
Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
When my mom died, I tried pretty hard to find a reason or a lesson to take from the experience. It didn’t come right away. In fact, I didn’t really see any “good” that came out of her death until about two years ago when COVID started. Since that time, my blog post about my mom’s illness and death has gotten hundreds of views. Because I went through something horrible and leaned into God in the midst of grief rather than pushing Him aside, He uses that to point people to Jesus when they need it the most. God turns even the worst of things into good things for His glory. He will use your story, too, if you let Him.
1 Corinthians 1:3-4
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
God wants to comfort you in your grief. When you lean into Him – even when you are mad, angry, frustrated, sad, hopeless – He will show compassion and give you rest and strength. As much pain as you’re experiencing now, others are experiencing it too, especially during this time. You are not alone. And when you receive comfort, compassion, and strength from God, you have it to give to others who are hurting too.
Philippians 4:4-6
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
You may be wondering how you’re supposed to rejoice when you just lost someone you love. You aren’t rejoicing in the loss but in the hope of Jesus Christ that transcends death. Remember, death is not the end. It is only the beginning. That’s why you can still have hope, regardless. Don’t run from God during this time. It will only cause more heartache and pain. Instead, pray and petition. God isn’t scared of your hard questions or big emotions. Give it all to Him. What He gives in return is everything you need to make it through this: unexplainable peace to protect your hurting heart.
Meditate on these Bible verses for grief to find hope in what feels like a hopeless situation. God is there. He cares, and He is waiting for you to lean into Him today.
