Bellevue Christian Counseling Logo

  • ServicesRead about the expertise available
    • Individual ServicesAddress your personal concerns confidentially
      • ADHD
      • Abandonment Issues and Neglect
      • Aging and Geriatric Issues
      • Anger Management
      • Anxiety
      • Autism Spectrum Disorder
      • Bipolar Disorder
      • Chemical Dependency
      • Counseling for Children
      • Counseling for Teens
      • Codependency
      • Depression
      • Eating Disorders
      • EMDR
      • Grief and loss Counseling
      • Individual Counseling
      • Infidelity and Affairs
      • Lifespan Integration Therapy
      • Men’s Issues
      • OCD
      • Personal Development
      • Psychological Testing
      • PTSD
      • Relationship Issues
      • Sex And Porn Addiction
      • Sexual Abuse
      • Spiritual Development
      • Trauma
      • Weight Loss
      • Women’s Issues
    • Christian Couples CounselingWork through challenges together
      • Couples Counseling
      • Premarital Counseling
      • Marriage Counseling
    • Family CounselingEstablish the peaceful home you desire
      • Christian Counseling for Children
        and Teens
      • Family Counseling
    • Group CounselingBenefit from the support of others
      • Men’s Sexual Addiction Recovery
        Group
      • All Counseling Groups
    • Online Counseling
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Marriage Counseling
    • Sex And Porn Addiction
  • LocationsChoose from our variety of office locations
    • Bellevue Office FrontBellevue
    • Bothell Office Front EntranceBothell
    • Edmonds Christian CounselingEdmonds
    • Everett Office Front EntranceEverett
    • Federal Way Office FrontFederal Way
    • Hansville
    • Kent 2Kent
    • Kirkland Christian CounselingKirkland
    • LaceyLacey
    • Mill Creek Office Waiting RoomMill Creek
    • Monroe
    • Oak Harbor Office OutsideOak Harbor
    • Poulsbo
    • Puyallup Christian CounselingPuyallup
    • Redmond OfficeRedmond
    • Seattle Downtown OfficeSeattle Downtown
    • Seattle Greenlake 2Seattle Greenlake
    • Silverdale Office FrontSilverdale
    • Tacoma Office FrontTacoma
    • Spokane ValleySpokane Valley
    • Vancouver
    •  1Online Counseling
  • CounselorsFind the best counselor for your needs
  • CareersBecome an affiliated Christian counselor
  • (425) 939-6856Please give us a call, we are here to help
header-image

Coping with Grief: Scriptures About Loss to Help You Grieve

Bellevue Christian Counseling
https://bellevuechristiancounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/coping-with-grief-scriptures-about-loss-to-help-you-grieve-2.jpg 960 615
https://bellevuechristiancounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/bellevue.jpg
https://bellevuechristiancounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/cropped-cropped-seattle-logo.png
330 112th Ave NE, Suite 302
BELLEVUE, WA 98004
United States
330 112th Ave NE, Suite 302
BELLEVUE, WA 98004
United States
Photo of Miranda Otsuka

Miranda Otsuka

Nov
2024
18

Coping with Grief: Scriptures About Loss to Help You Grieve

Miranda Otsuka

Grief and loss CounselingIndividual CounselingSpiritual Development

The world we live in is a broken one. That brokenness manifests itself in diverse ways, from relationships mired in conflict, rifts between loved ones, having those you love taken from you by illness or some other calamity, and so on. There is much weeping and sorrow that accompanies our sojourn.

Scripture reflects this reality and gives us the language to process our experiences and grieve the various losses we go through. In this article, we’ll consider some encouragement and tips for coping with grief.

Coping with Grief: Scriptures About Loss to Help You Grieve 2Grief comes to us all, and it does so in different ways. Rather than denying our grief, the healthy thing for us to do is to acknowledge that we have indeed experienced loss and to deal with that loss by grieving. For a believer, that grieving process is aided by resources such as a community of believers that mourn with and comfort them (Romans 12:15; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5), prayer, and Scripture.

Like us if you are enjoying this content.

Grieving as a Process

Grieving is how we respond to a loss. There are different types of loss, such as the death of a loved one, significant changes in your health, life changes such as achieving certain milestones or moving house, relationships coming to an end due to separation or divorce, and the loss of identity resulting from life transitions. These different forms of loss trigger an emotional and mental response known as grief.

We don’t all experience grief in the same way. While grief is often associated with sadness, there aren’t any hard and fast rules about the kinds of emotions a person experiences when they are grieving or the duration of those emotions. Some people feel sadness, while others experience denial, anger, shock, regret, guilt, relief, a sense of acceptance, longing, or numbness. Grief is a complicated and highly individual process.

The kind of relationship you had with someone, your personality, the way the loss came about, and the resources available to you to deal with loss influence your response to loss. While the grieving process is often divided into stages such as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, grief is unpredictable and doesn’t follow a predetermined sequence.Coping with Grief: Scriptures About Loss to Help You Grieve 3

The process of grief does not necessarily have an ending. Often, the feelings associated with grief will recur, perhaps years down the line when a reminder pops up. While grief never quite ends, a person learns to cope more effectively with it, and it isn’t as debilitating as it could be at first.

Grief in Scripture

In Scripture, there are many examples of grief. David weeps over his son Absalom who attempted to usurp the throne (2 Samuel 18:33); Elijah despairs that no one was left in Israel to worship the Lord (1 Kings 19); the writer of Lamentations mourns the destruction of Jerusalem; Jesus weeps over the death of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35); and Paul has deep anguish and sorrow over his people’s rejection of Christ (Romans 9:1-5), to name a few.

Scripture affirms the reality of loss and the diverse ways that loss occurs. It also affirms the rightness of the different emotions that accompany loss, including feelings of abandonment (Psalm 22; Matthew 27:46). A significant portion of the early Psalms are of lament. Lament is a way of processing difficult emotions, and it is a form of protest in which attention is drawn to horrible or painful things that have happened and that shouldn’t have happened.

Scripture has much to say about grief and loss, including reminders that God is with us in the darkness, and He will never leave or forsake us. Psalm 34:18 (NIV) reminds us that “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit”, while Psalm 147:3 (NIV) says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds”. God sees our anguish and sorrow; more than that, He sorrows with us.

The picture that comes through again and again is of a God who is intimately involved in the lives of His people. Not only does He comfort them in their sorrow, but He binds their wounds, and “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4, NIV). The way things are is not how it will always be.

Coping with Grief: Practical Encouragement

When you are coping with grief, you mustn’t do so alone. Your relationship with your loved one is something that other people may never quite understand. You may be carrying complicated feelings such as guilt or relief at a loved one’s passing, perhaps because things didn’t end well between you, or because they were struggling. Grief can isolate you, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Your experience of grief is unique, but others have also experienced grief. Others can walk alongside you, weeping with you as you weep (Romans 12:15, NASB). As the Lord has comforted them in their distress, they can also comfort others with the comfort they received (2 Corinthians 1:4). Your support network can help you take care of practical concerns like errands, and also be a safe space for you to share your thoughts and emotions.

Scripture gives room for us to express ourselves freely before the Lord. Lamentations was mentioned earlier, but the Psalms and the book of Job also give us the language with which to lodge a protest with God about something painful or unfair that’s happened to us. These Scriptures give vent to feelings of anger, abandonment, longing, fear, confusion, and so much more. Our heavenly Father wants us to approach Him with our questions, doubts, and fears.

Coping with Grief: Scriptures About Loss to Help You Grieve 4Grief is a process and an unpredictable one at that. However, over time, the intensity of the feelings that accompany grief usually lessens. If, after six months, they remain as intense as at the start, and they impact your well-being and ability to function, you could be dealing with complicated grief. Though grief is unpredictable, and the stages of grief aren’t a matter of sequence, there is a general movement toward living with the loss and carrying on.

In the many Psalms of lament and the various expressions of grief in Scripture, there is always a note of hope. One may begin by saying, “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1, NIV), that same Psalm ends by saying,

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me – Psalm 13:5-6, NIV

The shape of the book of Psalms itself moves from lament being dominant in the first half to psalms of praise dominating the latter half. For the believer, though there is much to mourn in the world, and while we have the language of lament to express our sorrow, anguish, anger, confusion, and protest to God, there is hope that the Lord will set the world to rights, and He will knit our broken hearts and wipe away our tears.

One can cope with grief by allowing themselves to experience it, but while reading the present experience through the lens of hope in God. The believer should grieve, rightly so, but that grief is not a hopeless grief (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Death has been defeated, and the future holds the possibility of bodily resurrection from the dead through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:50-57). The Lord will do what is right (Genesis 18:25).

Next Steps for Coping with Grief

Coping with Grief: Scriptures About Loss to Help You GrieveIn his book A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis wrote, “We were promised sufferings. They were part of the program. We were even told, ‘Blessed are they that mourn,’ and I accept it. I’ve got nothing that I hadn’t bargained for. Of course, it is different when the thing happens to oneself, not to others, and in reality, not imagination.” Grief can be challenging, testing your faith and upending what you thought was true about the Lord and the world.

When you encounter loss, it can be a bewildering experience. You don’t have to go through it by yourself. Having people who support you can provide you emotional validation, a sense of connection which can reduce isolation, space to express yourself, comfort, and insight as you cope with the loss.

You can speak to your loved ones, and you can also reach out to a grief counselor to help you process your loss and find healthy ways of coping with grief. To schedule an appointment with a grief counselor near you, contact our office today to find support as you’re coping with grief.

Photos:
“Tough Times”, Courtesy of Ben White, Unsplash.com, CC0 License; “Raining again…”, Courtesy of Kristina Tripkovic, Unsplash.com, CC0 License; “Cross”, Courtesy of Aaron Burden, Unsplash.com, CC0 License; “Grief”, Courtesy of Geralt, Pixabay.com, CC0 License

DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this article are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please contact one of our counselors for further information.

  • Share on Facebook
  • Tweet it
  • ↑ Back to top
Photo of Miranda Otsuka
Schedule with Miranda
  • Appointment Info

  • Your Info

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Miranda Otsuka

Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate
(206) 388-3929 mirandao@seattlechristiancounseling.com

I strive to create a safe, healthy space for my clients to navigate through life’s challenges in the presence of the Lord as much as they feel comfortable doing so. As a counselor, my goal is to serve you well as I am representing the Lord and allowing Him to work through me. Together, we will work through whatever difficulties you are facing with goals that are best fit for you and your circumstances. You don’t have to struggle alone. Help and hope are available, and I look forward to witnessing the Lord’s transformative work in your life through Christian counseling. Read more articles by Miranda »

Other articles that might interest you...

The Grieving Process - Other Types of Loss
Bellevue Christian Counseling

The Grieving Process – Other ...

Part 2 of a 2-Part Series Grief is the natural result of losing someone precious to us. The grieving process...

continue reading »
10 Tips for Coping with Anticipatory Grief 4
Photo of Jennifer Gannon

Jennifer Gannon

10 Tips for Coping with Anticipatory ...

Anticipatory grief is the grief you feel as you anticipate and await an impending loss. Typically, it refers to the...

continue reading »
A Grief Experienced: 4 Therapeutic Rituals to Help You Process the Pain of Loss
Bellevue Christian Counseling

A Grief Experienced: 4 Therapeutic ...

She was thirty-one years old, had overcome drug addiction to crack cocaine, returned to God, gotten her life back together,...

continue reading »

About Miranda

Photo of Miranda Otsuka

Miranda Otsuka, MS, LMHCA

Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate

I strive to create a safe, healthy space for my clients to navigate through life’s challenges in the presence of the Lord as much as they feel comfortable doing so. As a counselor, my goal is to serve you well as I am representing the Lord and allowing Him to work through me. Together, we will work through whatever difficulties you are facing with goals that are best fit for you and your circumstances. You don’t have to struggle alone. Help and hope are available, and I look forward to witnessing the Lord’s transformative work in your life through Christian counseling. View Miranda's Profile

Recent articles by Miranda

  • Nov 18 · Coping with Grief: Scriptures About Loss to Help You Grieve
  • Oct 15 · Symptoms of OCD and How Christian Counseling Can Help
  • Sep 24 · Understanding Types of Adult ADHD Therapy
See all articles by Miranda »

Related Services

  • Grief and loss Counseling
  • Individual Counseling
  • Spiritual Development

Miranda's Office Locations

  • Photo of the Seattle Greenlake office

    Seattle Greenlake

    Washington

    General Office Number

    (206) 388-3929
    6827 Oswego Place Northeast, suite b Seattle, WA 98115

    View Office Details
  • Photo of the Online (WA only) office

    Online (WA only)

    General Office Number

    (206) 388-3929
    ,  

    View Office Details
Bellevue Christian Counseling Logo
Bellevue Christian Counseling
Professional help with faith-based values
We are an association of professional, independently licensed Christian counselors experienced in helping people of all ages find healing for a wide variety of issues.
© 2025 Bellevue Christian Counseling. All rights reserved.
330 112th Ave NE,, Bellevue, WA 98004. Tel (425) 939-6856.
Facebook Twitter Online Counseling About Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use Feel free to contact us!
We are open for business. In person and online counseling are available now.