A Prayer for Those Who Grieve
By Emma Danzey
Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
Scripture calls us in Romans to celebrate and empathize with those around us. People are celebrating exciting news, and we join in the rejoicing. However, not every day is going to be a walk in the park. When others come to us in mourning, the response of a believer in Christ should be to mourn with them.
In thinking about who God has placed around you, is there anyone mourning and grieving today? Are there people whom the Lord has intentionally brought into your path to pray for and pray with, to walk alongside, to cry with, to hold, and to encourage? Grief is one of the most difficult paths that people go on in this life. We often think of it as only relating to death. However, grief is loss, it could be someone is grieving a relationship that ended, or the loss of a friend, grieving a job, grieving a dream, grieving a wayward child. When we broaden our perspective of those wrestling through the losses of life, we will be more sensitive to those around us and what they are dealing with in this season. Definitely, we are to pay close attention to those dealing with great losses such as losing health or loved ones, but as we pray today, remember that people are grieving smaller things as well that we can pray for and stand beside in.
Let's Pray:
God our Comforter,
You tell us in 2 Corinthians 1:4 that You comfort us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. We have received such mercy and kindness from You. Enable us to pour that out onto others. Where we ourselves have experienced real pain and loss, help us to keep that in mind for others.
Jesus, would you please be with those who are grieving today. We pray for those with significant losses. Would you help them to feel seen and cared for by You and the church. Would you be their Rock and their Fortress in this storm. We know that You ultimately have allowed this in their lives and pray that they would be able to see You work in the midst of the trial. Lord, help them not to be hopeless or lose heart. Guide them with Your sweet and tender Words in the Bible. Speak life over them. Show them that they are deeply loved and heard. Help us to know when to share and when to be silent. Give us listening ears in their pain. Jesus, show Yourself in new ways to them as their Comforter.
God we pray over those who have grief but have not acknowledged it as such. Give them everything that they need in You. Show them the areas of their hearts that they need to bring to you. For those who stuffed down grief, bring it to the surface and heal them from it. For those who pushed it aside as not significant enough, speak truth into their situations. Help them to know what to do. Give them awareness that You care about even the smallest of disappointments and hurts.
Lord we pray specifically over the widows. You have so many Scriptures about caring for them. Help us to remember them in our prayers and our actions. Give us Your words to say and guide us in comforting them in every season. We pray over those with other loses that they grieve whether that be family or friends. Bring to their memories the truth that You are always with them. Help us to be the body of Christ and live out the love and compassion that You have for them.
God we pray about our own losses. Would you please heal us from the pain. Help us to know that You are working all things together for our good and Your glory. Give us time to process with You and a renewed sense of hope. Reveal Your intimacy in a fresh way. Help us to know Your heart in struggles. Remind us that ultimately we will have no more grief and loss in heaven with You and that You will wipe away every tear. Amen.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Paolo Nicolello
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Originally published Thursday, 12 October 2023.
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