Loss can take many different forms, and you may be suffering from one right now. When losses hit you, you can find lasting comfort in Bible verses about loss. Scripture can lift you up no matter what type of loss you are facing.
Perhaps you have suffered a loss due to the literal death of a loved one or a pet. Maybe your loss is related to a life transition, like divorce, the empty nest, or a cross-country move. Other losses like breakups, getting laid off from your job or a sudden friendship change can hurt, too. In each of these losses, you can find a Bible verse for comfort in a time of loss.
Scripture for Loss: What Does the Bible Say?
When we look up loss in the Bible, we can find all kinds of examples. Job experienced sweeping losses of his children, flocks, and health, all within a swift time span. Sarah and Hannah experienced the painful loss of infertility. David suffered the losses of at least four children and his dearest friend, Jonathan. Jesus felt the painful loss of companionship in his greatest time of need.
The Bible shows us real examples of loss to give us affirmation and comfort. It never sugarcoats our pain. God knows each of our losses and cares about every one of them, no matter how small they may seem to others. He offers us comfort and hope when we study Scripture for loss.
A Time for Loss
A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. – Ecclesiastes 3:4
Because we live in an imperfect world, loss is inevitable for each of us. God designates times of loss in his great sovereignty. He saw your loss coming before you did, and he weeps alongside you.
This verse tells us that there is a chosen time for weeping and mourning. We must do this to get past the pain of loss. If we deny it or put it off, we will only suffer longer. God will walk through our time of loss with us. Then, as we get to the other side of the loss, we can laugh and dance with God again.
The Lord Offers Comfort
For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. – Isaiah 49:13
When you are experiencing a loss, you need comfort to get well. It can be tempting to numb ourselves with the wrong things when we need comfort. Food, alcohol, drugs, social media, unwise relationships, and a myriad of other activities may offer temporary relief.
However, this type of comfort never lasts and can even leave us with guilt and additional pain. The Lord himself offers us comfort that is everlasting. Because he is all-powerful and mighty to save, he can comfort you better than anything or anyone else.
As you rest in his presence, you will feel his comfort and compassion. Draw close to him in prayer and meditate on Scripture for loss, and you’ll experience the comfort that you need.
Relax in God’s Comfort
As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem. – Isaiah 66:13
Babies often will not stop crying until they are resting in their mother’s arms. Then they calm immediately because they feel comforted and secure. Hopefully, you experienced a loving relationship with your parent, relative or guardian when you were a child.
Perhaps you have offered comfort, yourself, as a parent or watched others offering it tenderly. God wants to offer you loving and tender comfort in the way a mother comforts her child. He wants to hold you close and let you cry it out. He wants to offer you the security you seek.
The Lord Strengthens You
You who are my Comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me. – Jeremiah 8:18
Does your heart feel faint with loss? Maybe it’s hard for you to get through a single day, much less a week or month, without feeling overwhelmed with loss. This Scripture for the loss of loved ones can bring you the comfort you seek.
You don’t need to do anything except to receive the comfort of the Lord like a warm blanket wrapped around you. He is holding it out to you now in love. When you find comfort for your loss in God’s presence, you will feel stronger.
The word “comfort” can be broken down into two parts – “with” and “strength.” God wants to be with you in your sorrow to offer you his mighty strength, which will help you get through your loss. He will help you through the days, weeks, months and years ahead with his strength.
The Holy Spirit Gives Comfort
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor – Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever – the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you. – John 14:16-17
When we believe in the One True God, the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be our Comforter. He also helps us through our struggles. He intercedes for us in prayer.
The Holy Spirit strengthens us and continually stands beside us. If you believe in God, you already have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside you! He will comfort you with Bible verses for mourning. It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to remind you of everything God wants you to know.
He will speak to you through God’s Word, sermons, podcasts, Christian books, counselors and Christian friends. As you ask the Holy Spirit to help you, you will find comfort in many different ways.
God is Faithful
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. – Hebrews 10:23
You may only have a glimmer of hope in your heart right now. That is enough for God to use. Cling to that hope like an anchor in a storm. If you hold tight to it, God will prove himself faithful to you.
He will not let you sink or be cast away. God will never leave you nor forsake you in your loss. He is watching over you every minute, growing your faith as you hold onto hope in his promises.
The Value of Courage
Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord. – Psalm 31:24
It takes courage to face our losses and ask God and others for help. In Bible verses on loss, we learn that as we take courage and hope in the Lord, he will strengthen us. It’s similar to weight training. Muscles become stronger only when they are pushed past their limits.
The muscle fibers break down during a workout but become stronger when the fibers grow back together. Courage is like the weight we use in a loss challenge. With each repetition of courage, our faith in God becomes stronger. Choose courage instead of disappointment, and God will strengthen you.
Your Loss Has Purpose
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
You may have heard the phrase, “God never wastes a hurt.” This Bible verse proves the statement to be true. As you begin to heal from your loss with God’s comfort, you will be able to comfort others in the future.
His comfort is designed to fill up your heart and overflow onto others. That’s why it’s important that you take steps to heal now. You can find purpose and strength with God’s help.
Christian Counseling for Loss
You may get stuck after a loss and need help to move forward. Study and meditate upon these Bible verses on loss, but don’t be reluctant to ask for help from a Christian counselor. A counselor is equipped with the right tools to help you handle your loss. Please give us a call at Seattle Christian Counseling to learn more about how counseling can help you.
Kate Motaung, copyright 2019, all rights reserved
