Grief is a universal human experience. It’s a natural response to loss, be it the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or a shift in life circumstances. The Bible provides comfort, wisdom, and insight into the process of mourning and the hope of recovery.
What Does The Bible Convey About Grief?
The Bible recognizes grief as an unavoidable part of human existence. It does not dismiss or minimize the pain of loss but confronts it with compassion and understanding. The Bible illustrates the grieving experience of various characters and their journey towards consolation. It acknowledges grief’s intensity – the profound sorrow, the rollercoaster of emotions, the stages of denial, anger and acceptance. In Psalms, King David openly expresses his sadness and anguish showing that experiencing grief is both normal and necessary.
Where Does Hope Fit Into The Grief Process According To The Bible?
Hope plays a significant role in the Biblical perspective on grief. Central to the Bible’s teaching is the belief in God’s unending compassion and care for the suffering. While grief may seem overwhelming, the Bible promises the presence of divine comfort. It consistently describes God’s deep empathy for the grieving, characterizing Him as a close companion during times of sorrow. God offers solace and timely help, shining a light of expectation on the darkest moments making hope an active part of the grief process.
Who Does The Bible Say Can Help Us In Our Grief?
According to the Bible we are not alone in our grieving. God uses various channels to extend His comfort. For one He offers himself as a steadfast source of provision and peace. The Bible also depicts Jesus as a sympathetic figure who comprehends our pain having experienced human sorrow and death. Moreover, the Bible marks the role of the community in alleviating grief. Friends, family, and faith communities often serve as God’s human extension to provide consolation underscoring the importance of connection and mutual support in times of loss.
Why Acknowledge Grief According To The Bible?
The Bible emphasizes the importance of acknowledging grief rather than avoiding it. The journey of Job, a central figure in the Bible who experiences immense loss and suffering, teaches that expressing our pain, uncertainty, and grief is crucial. Distance from or denial of grief does not bring healing. Only by bravely facing our grief, pouring out our hearts to God and grappling with our pain, can we start to move towards recovery. The Bible reassures that we can pour out our heartbreak to God who is ready to listen and extend grace amid our harshest moments.
When Will Grief End According To The Bible?
The Bible does not define a specific timeline for the resolution of grief. Grief differs from person to person and requires time and patience. The Bible, however, does assure the eventual advent of relief. It tells of a future with no tears, death, or mourning. Until then it encourages individuals to endure, assuring them of God’s promise of eternal life and final reunion and the comforting presence of God until grief ultimately gives way to healing and peace.
Below is our full list of bible verses on grief (King James Version – KJV) provided in ranked order.
Most Popular Bible Verses About Grief
Matthew 5:4
“4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”
Psalm 147:3
“3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
Related Themes: Loneliness Healing Greatness Health Abuse
Revelation 21:4
“4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
Related Themes: Hope Suffering Frustration Tears Repentance
1 Peter 5:7
“7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Related Themes: Loneliness Frustration Depression Worry Complaining
John 16:33
“33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Related Themes: Frustration Suffering Peace Homelessness Bitterness
Psalm 56:8
“8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?”
Related Themes: Tears Omnipotence Empathy Omnipresence
Psalm 34:18
“18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Related Themes: Frustration Sadness Heart Depression Hope
Romans 12:2
“2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Related Themes: Complaining Lust Creativity Attitude Business
John 16:22
“22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
“13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
John 3:16
“16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Related Themes: Trespassing Life Love Money Omnipotence
Matthew 11:28-30
“28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 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.30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Related Themes: Frustration Rest Depression Hope Rest
Romans 8:18
“18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Related Themes: Suffering Hope Business Creativity Lust
2 Corinthians 1:3-12
“3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”
Related Themes: Suffering Loneliness Comfort Suffering
1 Peter 2:23-25
“23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”
Related Themes: Criticism Attitude Patience Offense Resentment
Philippians 4:13
“13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Related Themes: Strength Omnipotence Self Confidence Life Greatness
Luke 22:42-44
“42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
Related Themes: Humility Suffering Pleasing God Sacrifice
Genesis 6:5-6
“5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”
Deuteronomy 18:9-13
“9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.”
Related Themes: Abomination Fortune
1 Thessalonians 4:13
“13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”
Isaiah 1:16-20
“16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”
Related Themes: Cleanliness Holiness Purity
Romans 8:28
“28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Related Themes: Suffering Frustration Sovereignty Complaining Life
Isaiah 53:3-4
“3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
Related Themes: Suffering Loneliness Rejection
Hebrews 11:5-6
“5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Related Themes: Pleasing God
Numbers 12:6-8
“6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”
Jeremiah 17:5-7
“5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.”
Related Themes: Frustration Attitude Pleasing God Trust Foundation
Mark 15:33-34
“33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
John 11:25
“25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”
Related Themes: Life Resurrection Life Afterlife
Luke 20:11-18
“11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”
Matthew 23:37-38
“37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”
