Grief

For everyone · Tell us where you are

1. Where is God when someone I love dies?

   • Ps 34:18

     ¹⁸The Lord is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.

   • John 11:17–44

     ¹⁷When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already spent four days in the tomb. ¹⁸Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, a little less than two miles away, ¹⁹and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother. Keep reading

   • Rev 21:3–4

     ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. ⁴‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”

2. Is it okay to grieve as a Christian?

   • John 11:35

     ³⁵Jesus wept.

   • 1 Thess 4:13–18

     ¹³Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. ¹⁴For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. ¹⁵By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. Keep reading

   • Eccl 3:1–4

     ¹To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: ²a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, ³a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build, Keep reading

3. Will I see my loved ones again?

   • 1 Thess 4:13–18

     ¹³Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. ¹⁴For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. ¹⁵By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. Keep reading

   • 1 Cor 15:51–57

     ⁵¹Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵²in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. Keep reading

   • John 14:1–3

     ¹“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. ²In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.