Oh how many prayers I prayed as I’ve grieved. It’s not like I prayed at bedtime or during my quiet time as I’d done in the past. In my deep grief of Dan’s death and the overwhelm of becoming a single mom to our seven children, I was in near-constant communication with God.
I must have prayed a thousand prayers in the months after Dan died. And friends prayed hundreds more for us.
And they made all the difference. Through those prayers God lifted my head, gave me hope, took my fear, steered countless decisions and most of all — comforted me. God didn’t take away the pain, but His strong presence sustained me in it.
Today, I’m sharing a prayer for the grieving. You can pray it for yourself or pray it for someone you know who’s grieving.
A Prayer for the Grieving
Father, I come to you with the broken pieces of my heart. Where else can I go?
Give ear to my words, and consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help. I come to you, my King and my God. I know you hear me and I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:1-3)
Lord, who knew a person could cry so many tears?
I am worn out from groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. I am weak with sorrow. (Psalm 6:6-7)
You know me. You know me better than I know myself – all of my emotions, my fear, my deep missing, my despair. I bring all of it to you.
You’ve collected every one of my tears in a bottle and recorded each one in your book. (Psalm 56:8)
Lord, I need the comfort only you can give. I need strength to get through this day and to take care of the tasks ahead of me. I need you to be my strength, to help me make decisions, to show me what to do today and what to let go. Sustain me as I walk through this valley of the shadow of death.
I have so many worries. Who knew grief could stir up so much fear? It’s paralyzing me and keeping me from moving forward. I need you desperately, Lord. Thank you for being with me and for going before me every step of this journey. Thank you that you will never leave me and never forsake me and that your promises are true and you will be forever faithful to me. Help me trust your promises over the lies the enemy feeds me. I trust you Lord, because you are good and you do good. (Psalm 119:68)
Take my despair Father and restore to me the joy of my salvation. (Psalm 51:12). Lift my head. You are a shield around me, my glory and the One who lifts my head. (Psalm 3:3) Help me see your good today. Give me eyes to see you working in me and all around me, to know that you are hemming me in behind and before. I trust that you have a hope and a future for me, even when I can’t feel it and my emotions are telling me different.
And as long as my heart is broken, Father, clean it out. I confess to you my great sin and selfishness and demanding heart and rebellion. Forgive me. Thank you for your grace and for your mercy. Thank you for loving me and for your patience. Help me see my sin for what it is and to turn from it. Help me to love others like you love them, to be humble, to wake up ready to serve and obey wherever you lead me. Do this in me, Lord, because I cannot do it myself.
But I want you. I don’t want to miss any of what you have for me and so I beg you to teach me, to open my eyes to you and to give me your heart and your mind.
My broken heart lies before you Lord and I can’t fix it. It hurts and this is hard. But I trust that you can fix it. I trust that you are holding me and that you will bring me through. I love you. Help me to love you more.
In Jesus’ holy name, I bring these requests to you and wait for you, Amen.
Thank you for this prayer.
Dear Lisa,
Thank you kindly for your words of expression of grief in prayer. It makes my spirits soar with overwhelming gratitude for who God is and what He has done for us. We can’t even fathom the enormity of His power! We are a couple in our middle 60’s coping with our only son who suffers debilitating mental illness. We will never be grandparents or have the joy that naturally brings. Our struggle, like yours is minute by minute. Thank you for your encouraging words each week. Fighting the good fight in Jesus Holy name! Amen.
Lisa, my friend is grieving the loss of her husband on April 1. Do I send her this link or not? I never want to overstep that fine line.
Yes, send her the link. It can encourage her and help her feel less alone. It can help her focus on the words of the prayers when her own words may be unable to be formed. Pray for her, listen to her, let her know you care.
Amen, Lisa, what a blessing and wonderful prayer. Thank you.
Thank you for this prayer. I lost my husband in 2017 and it hasbeen so hard. This prayer has lifted me to keep going on.
That was well written….I can totally relate, it was very comforting.
My dear husband of 39 years passed away on March 3. Today is his birthday. This prayer couldn’t have come at a better time. God knew that I would need it today.
We lost our 28 year old daughter, Rebekah, (she had only been 28 for 2 weeks) as a result of complications from cancer treatments. It had never been expected that she would not beat the cancer. We were stunned when she contracted pneumonia on her birthday and died 2 weeks later. Our hearts have been broken and a piece is gone forever. Although we daily say Blessed Be the Name of the Lord, some days have been earth shatteringly hard! I don’t know how people get through grief without the grace and mercy of the Lord!
Dearest Lisa, thank you. I lost my sister in Feburary to gall bladder cancer. We were 22 months apart. My heart aches everyday with this loss because I know I will never hear her speak to me again. I read you prayer and the words did bring me comfort. Thank you because it came at a much needed time.
Dear Lisa, Thank you so much, I lost my Mother in Law recently, I was also her caregiver, but she wasn’t just my mother- in law, she has been a mom to me for 38 years. I lost my mom when I was young. My grieve for her is so strong. I know that she is home in heaven with our Lord which gives me great comfort. But, I just miss her so much. Especially with Mother’s Day coming. I live in her home with my husband and I am trying to move on and make the home my own, but I am just so sad. But, I came across your prayer and it gave me so much comfort that I am not alone. Thank you!
I am still grieving the loss of my husband even though it was almost 2 years ago. Our love was so strong and exceptional.
The day you published this was the day before my son died. Thank you for this. ❤️
Thank you Lisa for this prayer I lost my husband of 25 year’s suddenly in2017.and my son in January 2019 was brutaly murder the Lord have gave me strength to cope with all of my grieve ,I don’t know if I will ever be the same anymore
I’m so sorry for your loss… that was such a beautiful touching prayer. I lost my 84y/o Mother 2/24/2020 and my oldest Son on 7/15/2020 he was only 23 God didn’t heal his cancer on earth and took him home. I miss them both so dearly but as we all say it doesn’t seem real. I wake up wishing it was a bad dream. This grieving is hard most days. Nights I pray and pray that God will comfort me and give me rest. And the prayer your expressed is what my heart needs. Thank You so much