A Prayer to Allow Yourself Time to Grieve
By Laura Bailey
Bible Reading: "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” - John 11:33 NIV
Listen or Read Below:
“I'm sorry. I don’t know where my head is today. Do you mind telling me again where I should place these forms?” I somberly said to my friend. She was gracious with me, but I’d been off my game all morning. Asking her to repeat instructions and spacing out while she talked, I couldn’t shake my Eeyore-ish mood.
“Let’s sit down for a minute. Is everything okay with you?” she gently prodded. No, everything was not okay. I’d lost my grandmother abruptly a few days prior, and it just seemed like life was doling out hit after hit. I shared with her that I was still struggling with the passing of my grandmother, embarrassed that I was still having such a hard time. “She was well into her 80s, lived a good life, and was a strong believer. I know she is with the Lord, but when I think about her, I can’t shake my sadness,” I unloaded on my friend. Grabbing a tissue from a nearby box, my sweet sister-in-Christ grabbed my hands and began to pray over me.
As she cried out to the Lord on my behalf, pleading for comfort and courage as I walked through my loss, a wave of peace washed over me. As she said Amen, she looked up and said, “You know, it’s okay not to be OK. Grief doesn’t have a timeline. Even the Savior of the world wept at the loss of his friend.
I heard the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead numerous times. I knew about Jesus’ weeping. I observed His tenderness with Mary and Martha, but it never really sunk in His grief over His friend's death. Jesus knew that His visit would ultimately result in Lazarus returning to life, yet, seeing the pain Lazarus’ death caused his family and friends, Jesus empathized.
As a society, we don’t grieve well. Life moves on, and so we are expected to the same. For many of us, we don’t have the luxury of mourning the loss of our loved ones, forsaking work, and other responsibilities for days, weeks, or months as our ancestors did in the past. Yet, grief doesn’t have a timeline. Even for those with absolute certainty, we know are in the presence of our Lord and Savior; losing someone is hard. We grieve with hope, but that doesn’t always lift the heaviness of our hearts.
And so, this passage of Scripture reminds us that Jesus, who was fully God and fully human, sympathizes with our sadness over death. He, too, is grieving for humanity because death wasn’t a part of God’s original plan. An unfortunate consequence of man’s rebellion against God is that all should perish. But, in God’s abundance of grace and mercy, he offers eternal life and the opportunity to live forever in the new heavens and earth to those who accept Him as Savior.
If you are walking through grief, know that God not only sees you, He sympathizes with you. Be kind to yourself and give yourself grace as you process, reflect, and remember your loved one
Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that You know Your children deeply. You are not a God who distances yourself from Your creation; instead, You took on human form. As Hebrews 2:17 says, “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." We thank you.
Lord, we pray for those who are in a season of grief. We know how difficult it is to lose someone you love and care about. Let us cling to the eternal hope in Christ but also give ourselves space to mourn. We love you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Mindful Media
She lives in Upstate South Carolina with her husband and three young girls, where she serves as director of women's ministries at her church. Her passion is teaching the Bible to women, equipping them to live with an eternal perspective. Invite Laura to speak at your next event or learn more: www.LauraRBailey.com
Related Resource: How to Choose Your One Word for 2026
This month on the How to Study the Bible Podcast, we’re starting a new series called One Word 2026, and it’s meant to be a gentle but intentional way to reflect, respond, and reconnect with God as we begin the year. In this episode, I’m walking you through why I love taking the whole month of January to pause and listen — rather than rushing into resolutions or putting pressure on yourself to “get it all together” by January 1. We’re going to start with Philippians 1:3–11, where Paul reminds us that we can have real confidence because God is still working in us, and He’s not finished.
Then I’m going to share six words I’ve been praying over for our community — six spiritual intentions that I believe reflect the kind of growth God may be inviting us into this year. You don’t have to choose one right away, and you definitely don’t have to force it — but I hope that one of these words will resonate in your spirit and give you a steady anchor for 2026.
This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
