A Prayer for Comfort and Hope in Times of Grief
By Heidi Vegh
Bible Reading
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” - Psalm 23:4
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Loss is an inevitable part of life. I lost my husband to cancer in 2013, leaving me with two small boys. The grief was unbearable, but I still had to pick myself up every morning to create some sort of normalcy in our daddy-less home. By the grace of God, I was able to push past the first year of firsts, eventually begin to date again, get remarried, move out of our house, and have more children. My story is long and complex.
What it comes down to is that grief will always be a part of my life. It isn’t going anywhere. Some days, even eleven years later, I want to run away as fast as I can to somehow shake off the pain, but it doesn’t go anywhere. I am used to it in a lot of ways, but it will always be a deep part of who I am. The Lord sees us. He sees our pain, our hurt, our loss. He sits with us in our grief and comforts us with His presence. When we allow Jesus into our pain, He promises to bring us comfort and give us a glimmer of hope for our future, which can often feel so bleak.
In my darkest days, I sat with Jesus. I listened to worship music. I replayed His words of comfort over and over in my heart. I was walking through a valley of the shadow of death but I wasn’t alone. God doesn’t promise to take our pain or circumstance, although He is fully capable, but He does promise to comfort us. Jesus tells us in one of his many sermons, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
Jesus himself knew heartache. He saw suffering all around him. He mourned the death of His friend Lazurus and comforted people who were sick. Jesus didn’t come to point his holy finger at us or shame us. He came to this earth, a place filled with despair, and He chose to sit with us in all of our pain. If you are hurting today, if you are grieving, sit with Jesus. Remember the sacrifice He made for you. Read Psalm 23 and allow the truth of who God is to penetrate your weary soul. This is a reprieve for those of us who cling to Jesus. The world can promise many escapes from pain, but Jesus is the only true source of comfort.
Let’s Pray:
Lord, my heart hurts. I have lost something precious to me. My heart aches, and I can’t imagine the pain ever going away. I am living in a dark tunnel with no sign of life at the end. My days run into each other in long trails of sadness, and I can’t seem to find a way out. Lord, I need you. I am bombarded with all the ways the world promises to comfort me. I long to escape with television, my phone, drugs, alcohol, or an unhealthy relationship with food. I don’t need another self-help book or the latest craze. I need you, Jesus. Help me to set aside all that isn’t from you and just simply sit with you. Comfort me through your Word, through worship music, and the people around me. You created us for the community. Please bring people into my life who can sit with me, being your hands and feet. Give me people I can pour my heart out to. Bring to my mind your words that will comfort me. The pain may never go away, and the loss will always be, but I rest assured that you will be with me, always.
Thank you, Jesus, for your comfort. Thank you for your presence. Thank you that I am not alone in my suffering, even though it may feel like it on this earth. Please continue to help me process my grief. Help me to heal and have the courage to find a new way to live. Give me the strength to move forward and to eventually be able to help others who are grieving. Use my story to bring comfort to others and help me to find the good.
In your precious name, Jesus, I pray, amen.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Filmstax
Heidi Vegh is a writer, speaker, and ministry leader living in Western Washington. She is a remarried mother of four, navigating the blended family life after the loss of her first husband to cancer in 2013. She longs to use her writing as a way to encourage others who have experienced loss and guide them on the road to healing. She contributes to her blog found at www.mrsheidivegh.com , sharing stories and devotionals of faith stemming from her loss and healing, mothering, and her blended and complex family. She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a degree in Creative Writing and English and is working on her first book. Heidi is the Women’s Ministry Director at her local church and has a deep heart for sharing Jesus with women and encouraging them in their faith walk. When she is not writing, she loves to travel, read, craft, and experiment in the kitchen. Visit her Facebook and Instagram (@mrsheidivegh) to learn more.
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