Finding Hope in the Bible: Scripture for Loss
Orange County Christian Counseling
The COVID-19 pandemic has made its mark on history. It has scoured the earth, bringing so much loss and grief and pain. The virus itself has killed thousands of people, and you may have lost someone close to you because of it. The virus has also led to the shutdown of schools, of events, of church, and work.
Many of you might have already lost your job. Many of your high school or college seniors are grieving no prom, no senior year, no graduation. Your wedding has been canceled – the wedding you have spent a year planning. Your trip somewhere beautiful has been postponed.You might not have been able to pinpoint what it is that you are feeling through this loss. You have been uncomfortable, uneasy. You have not been able to sleep and have lost your appetite. What you are experiencing is grief. And that is okay.
It was said recently that the world is also experiencing “anticipatory grief” – grief of what is still to come, a knowledge that it is going to get worse before it gets better. This grief over all of the things closing and canceling and even over the loss of someone you love is real. And it is all happening at once.
The Bible is well acquainted with grief and loss. Loss of life and relationships and safety, among other things, litter the pages of Scripture. Loss came when sin came, and it never left. It is okay to be sad, but when you feel lost in sadness, the Bible provides a light in the darkness through passages of Scripture for loss.
Though there are many verses in Scripture for loss and mourning, this article will focus on a few. The beautiful thing about these passages is that you can find hope when you feel hopeless, gladness instead of mourning, peace for despair.
Scripture for Loss
Jesus quoted this passage from Isaiah in Luke 4 when he went to his hometown and shared that “Today as you listen, this scripture has been fulfilled” (Luke 4:16-21). Though the people there rejected him, his message is true. He does these things for his people. He transforms mourning into something beautiful and hopeful. He comforts and holds the brokenhearted near. If you do anything in your grief, go to Jesus.The Spirit of the Lord God is one me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair. And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the Lord to glorify him. They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the former devastations; they will renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. – Isaiah 61:1-4
…For the Lord your God is the one who will go with you; he will not leave you or abandon you…The Lord is the one who will go before you; he will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged. – Deuteronomy 31:6,8
This is the beautiful promise that people have when they give their lives to Jesus. He will never abandon you. He will never leave you. You may feel alone in your loss, but He has not left you. See if you can find “traces” of Him in your day in the sun that came out from the clouds, the way your friend comforted you, or the hope you found in a worship song. Consider how He has remained. It will help you move forward in your grief.
Jacob, why do you say, and Israel, why do you assert: “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my claim is ignored by my God?” Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding. He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:27-31
Grief can leave you weary and struggling to go on. He will give you the strength you need to continue on each day. Just ask Him. Trust that He will help you. Let Him know that you have no strength to persevere right now, and watch how he brings it in unexpected ways.
Loss can lie to you and tell you, “If God loved you, He would not have let this happen.” There will be suffering in this life. It is inevitable for everyone because sin brought it into the world. For the Christian, suffering is promised.“Though the mountains move and the hills shake, my love will not be removed from you and my covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says your compassionate Lord. – Isaiah 54:10
Suffering and loss do not mean that God is not loving, or that He does not love you. He loves you and hates to see you in pain. Nothing can remove that love from you, and nothing can thwart His word. Trust in that.
Remember my affliction and my homelessness, the wormwood and the poison. I continually remember them and have become depressed. Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. There are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! I say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the person who seeks him. – Lamentations 3:19-25
Jeremiah, the author of Lamentations, shares his deep pain, but here in this passage, you can see how in the midst of his pain he is choosing to remember that God is faithful and merciful, that there is hope in eternity for those who believe in Him. So choose today to seek Him. He will bring you new mercies to help you get through today, and He will see you through until the end.
I love the Lord because he has heard my appeal for mercy. Because he has turned his ear to me, I will call out to him as long as I live… I encountered trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘Lord, save me!’ The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is compassionate…I was helpless, and he saved me. Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. – Psalm 116:1-7
In this Scripture for loss, the Psalmist here shares how he loves the Lord because God heard his cries of trouble and sorrow. Grief can make you feel helpless and lost. If you cry out to God in that place, He will remind you that He is compassionate and gracious, that He is the rest your soul needs. He has been good to you in the past. See how He has been good to you today. Do not be afraid to cry out to Him. He hears and He sees.
The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; he leads me along right paths for his name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff- they comfort me. – Psalm 23:1-4
Psalm 23 is a beautiful Psalm to memorize. Your grief feels dark and cold and maybe unending, but God is with you. He comforts you. You don’t have to grieve alone.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more because the previous things have passed away. – Revelation 21:4
This final passage speaks of Heaven. Heaven is full of light, not darkness. Joy and not sorrow. This can be a way for you to lean into hope when you feel you have none. It won’t always be this way.
Though there are many passages in Scripture for loss to comfort you in times of grief, these are a few you can focus on today. When you are lost in grief and pain, look up. Look at the light in the darkness.
Look to Jesus. He will do what he has promised here. He will comfort and bring peace. He will show love and mercy and compassion. He will never leave you. He will hear your cries. He sees your tears. He will bring joy and laughter and hope. Your grief matters to him. Allow Him to wrap His arms around you and show you how much he cares in this time of pain.
God understands what it feels like to lose a child. Mary and Martha knew what it felt like to lose a brother. Jesus knew what it felt like to lose a friend. The disciples knew what it felt like to lose hope. Paul knew what it felt like to lose freedom. Peter knew what it felt like to lose his life. David knew what it felt like to lose safety and security. Moses knew what it felt like to lose a dream. Joseph knew what it felt like to lose his entire family. Job, maybe most of all, knew what it felt like to lose everything.
You may feel lost in this social-distancing, self-isolating, loss-ridden season. But do not forget you are not alone. When you open the pages of Scripture, you will find comfort in times of loss. You will find Jesus, the only hope.
“Hold On,” Courtesy of Priscilla du Preez, Cdn.magdeleine.co, CC0 Public Domain License; “Sierra Aitana Cherry Blossom,” Courtesy of Les Haines, Flickr Creative Commons; “Grieving Woman”, Courtesy of Free Photos, Pixabay.com; CC0 License; “Prayer”, Courtesy of Ben White, Unsplash.com, CC0 License