Full Text
I am grieving, and that is right and human and holy. Grief is not a failure of faith — it is the honest response of a heart that has loved. Jesus wept. The Psalms are full of lament. God does not ask me to pretend that loss is not real or that pain does not hurt. But I do not grieve as those who have no hope. The resurrection of Jesus Christ means that death is not the end, that separation is not permanent, and that every tear will one day be wiped away by the hand of God Himself. I hold my grief and my hope together today, trusting that both are real and that God holds them both with me. The same God who raised Jesus from the dead will raise those who have died in Christ. The same God who promises to make all things new is already at work in the broken places of my life. I grieve, and I hope, and I trust.
Scripture References
1 Thessalonians 4:13
"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope."
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."
About This Resource
Compiled
Compiled from multiple identified sources or traditions. Wording has been assembled and edited by the Pray • Affirm • Declare editorial team.
- Tradition
- Evangelical
- Compiled by
- Pray • Affirm • Declare editorial team
- Source
- Compiled from Evangelical devotional tradition
- Rights / source status
- Assembled from public-domain devotional tradition. Wording has been edited and arranged by the Pray • Affirm • Declare editorial team.
- Usage notes
- Speak aloud in seasons of grief and loss. Appropriate for memorial services, grief support groups, or personal devotion after bereavement. Allows space for tears.
Have an Affirmation to Share?
If a prayer, affirmation, or declaration has shaped your faith, consider submitting it to be included in this collection for others to discover.
Submit a Contribution