A Prayer for the Grieving

Father,

I lift up the grieving to you this morning. Those people who had to say goodbye to a spouse, child, parent, grandparent, or a friend way sooner than they wanted to. As they live each day with a huge hole in their heart I ask you to comfort in their sorrow. I ask you to be near those with a broken heart and who are crushed in spirit. [Ps 34:18] Some have been grieving for a few days and weeks. Others have been grieving for decades. In either case you are near to them. You are at hand, present in their lives, and readily available.

I ask you to wipe away their tears today. Both the visible and the invisible. I ask you to send your ministers to them today in the form of family members, friends, and people they go to church with to send up prayers, words of comfort, and to give a listening ear. I ask you to take broken and shattered hearts and bring wholeness to them once again.

I ask you to give the grieving the heart of Job who said, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. [Job 1:21] You gave much in treasured relationships. We thank you for the gift of years spent with parents, with a spouse, with children, and with friends. Please guard the hearts of those grieving against bitterness. May you receive thanks for the good years and the good memories. There is the reminder that you also take away. Death is a reality we all have to face.9 Heb 9:27] For so many death came so suddenly, unexpectedly, and tragically there was no time to say goodbye. For those who live with guilt day in and day out and with regrets I ask you to deliver them from such oppressive thoughts. I ask you to replace guilt with happy memories and with peace of mind and heart. [Phil 4:6-7] I ask you to let those who watched their loved ones suffer for a long time before you took them have comfort in their grieving. For your children who grieve the death of people who were saved may they grieve with hope.  [I Thess 4:13-18] We thank you that there will be a reunion day.

For every soul who sobs night and day in their aloneness missing their spouse or child I hold them before you. I plead with you to hold them tightly and help them get back on the road to recovery. I ask you to be near to them in the nights of weeping until the long awaited joy comes in the morning. [Ps 30:5] I ask you to give them strength to carry on when even the smallest task on any given day are a monumental chore. I ask you to remove the darkness of depression as you restore hope. For the parents still grieving the loss of a child I ask you to comfort them in their perpetual sadness. I ask you to hold their crushed hearts and shattered dreams for those children in your hand. You have not missed one tear. You have not forsaken the grieving in their darkest hours.

I lift up those who are grieving knowing the end is soon approaching as they watch their loved one suffer and slowly slip away. I ask you to give them those prized moments to say whatever needs to be said. I pray for those grieving over the dying lost loved one or friend that you would bring those loved ones to genuine repentance, to reveal the gift of salvation through Jesus, and grant the faith to trust Jesus for pardon of sins.

I am burdened this morning for another type of grieving. For parents who had to release their children to go to college, to move to a different town for a career choice, and those who had to say goodbye to children who are following your service as pastors or missionaries. I ask you to wipe away
 the tears of those who had to part with beloved friends who moved away. I ask you to comfort the grieving missing not only a child but a beloved friend, employee, or church staff member.

J ask you to comfort those who endure the bitter pain of divorce. How many grieve night and day a broken marriage and broken dreams of living happily ever after. These may feel alone, abandoned, and isolated from the rest of society. You are the source for abundant life to the married, unmarried, the divorced and you have not abandoned them. You have not forsaken them. I ask you to remind them of your promise to never leave them or forsaken them. [Heb 13:5] I ask you to be their provider. [Phil 4:19] I ask you to remove fear and anxiety about how they will make it. [Matt 6:25-33]

Lastly this morning, I lift up those who grieve the painful death of shattered dreams. I lift up those who have been forced to endure the death of a vision. I lift up those who grieve the path of faded hopes and distant dreams in the midst of the harsh reality of present circumstances. I pray you would help them not to give up as they wait on you. [Ps 27:13-14] I pray you strengthen them not to lose heart. [Gal 6:9]

For all those grieving today, I ask you to draw them close and minister to them today. I ask you to minister to them today at church through song and your word. I ask you to take away the oppressive weight of grief that suffocates and allow them to breathe the fresh air of hope. Only you can take the pain away. I ask you to do that in Jesus name.