9 Hopeful Prayers for the Loss of a Loved One
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Grief is an active verb for people who have lost a loved one. Grief stops us in our proverbial tracks and causes us to re-think our lives and remember the one we have lost. It’s personal, and suddenly, we are filled with “what’s and if’s.” Often, anxiety accompanies grief, especially when the loved one who has passed is an immediate family member. And so, the emotions can numb us and render us frozen for a period, often months and even years, when we lose a member of our immediate family.
But God.
God is our Father who loves us. He never leaves us or forsakes us, and that includes times of deep sorrow. He knows everything that happens to us, and He is ready to assuage our emotions with His presence when we come to Him in prayer. His Word says to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).
Following are 9 prayer examples. May they lead you to the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3).
1. A Grieving Widow’s Prayer
Father,
I love You and I trust You. You are my refuge. But right now I feel empty, Lord. I am bereft of the man You gave me to love and cherish. What do I do now? How do I carry on without my husband? What should I do with the love I had for him? Help me, Father, to recover, and help me love You more. I know I will see my husband again in heaven, but until then, I long to lavish this gift of love back to you. As You have blessed me, help me bless Your holy name. I can’t do it; I cannot live life without You. So, fill me with Your presence that I may stand and declare Your goodness.
Amen.
2. A Grieving Husband’s Prayer
My Lord and my God,
You are good and You are holy. I don’t know why you have taken my beloved home to be with You now, but I love You and trust You. I need You, my Lord, to help me carry on. Not in any way that hides my grief, but in a way that honors the memories of my wife and brings You glory. Thank You for the time You gave me with her. I pray I honored You by how I loved her, and I still love her. I always will. Please take this pain in my heart, Father. I know You waste nothing. Help me to do the same as I heal. Fill me with Your promised peace and help me live a life which reflects my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
3. A Prayer of Comfort for Someone Who Is Grieving
Lord,
I thank You that You care for us and You hear our prayers. We are praying for the comfort of our loved ones who are grieving their loss. Help us as we come alongside them to offer anything we can. We know You will guide us in what to say and what not to say. This is a time when we shower them with love and listening, with hugs and prayers. Their heartache is real, and we know You will bless us with many ways to help assuage their grief. May we bless You as we do?
Amen.
4. A Prayer for the Family Who Lost a Loved One
Dear heavenly Father,
I lift this family to You for the comfort only You can give. Help us minister to them in ways that speak of our love not only for them, but for You as well. Help them heal – not to just move on, but to cherish the memories they had with their loved one. And help them grieve with hope, because of Jesus and His promise to leave His peace. Their lives will never be the same, but because of Jesus, they can hope and they can heal.
Amen.
5. A Prayer for the Person Who Lost a Child
O, Father God,
There are times of great loss when our faith may falter. This could happen to our loved ones as they mourn the death of their child. No parent would have a child die before them, and this mom and dad may lose heart in guilt and suffering. Please fill them anew with Your Spirit, that they will find their peace and comfort in You. Please lead them through this devastating time as they lean in to You for assurance. Surround them with strong and loving believers, that they can trust their counsel and heal. In time, help them to thank You for the precious time You did give them with their child. Your ways are certainly not ours, and they will be confused as to why You would allow this to happen.
Amen.
6. A Prayer for the Person Who Lost a Parent
Father God,
Thank You that You are our Father in heaven. No one and nothing can thwart Your perfect plans. Even though our loved ones are suffering right now, we know You will comfort them in supernatural ways we cannot fathom. You never leave us. You never forsake us. Death no longer stings because it is but a shadow for those who know You and love You. Help our loved ones to find their consolation and strength in You. Help them to remember all the ways their parent sought You and shared Your goodness with them. May You be praised for lives well lived, lives spent for Your glory.
Amen.
7. A Prayer for When the Deceased Loved One Was Not a Believer
Lord God,
This is a sad day in more ways than one. Not only has a person died, but they will be forever apart from Your blessed and holy presence. We don’t know a person’s heart, but You do. There is a hope that at the end, You spoke to this person’s heart and they surrendered to You. We won’t know until heaven, but for now, as we knew this person, there was nothing that displayed faith in You. Please comfort their family and if anyone in that family does not know You as Lord and Savior, please, Father, draw them to You.
Amen.
8. A Prayer of Thanks for the Person’s Life
Most gracious heavenly Father,
We are so very thankful we got to spend as many years with our loved one as we did. We do not take life for granted and we thank You for them and what they have meant to us. We will strive to share Your work in their life with others so they can see Your goodness. We are joyful in knowing this person and that they are now with You. And we don’t have to say goodbye, we get to say, “See you again in glory!”
Amen.
9. A Prayer to Thank God for What Comes for Believers after Death
Magnificent Lord,
We come to You in awe for what lies ahead of us. You have taken us from one degree of glory to another while we are here until we reach our final state of glory in Your presence in heaven. As Christians, we don’t die! We close our eyes here and open them in Your presence! The world will never understand or enjoy that, but as Yours, You have promised this to us. We don’t have the words, Father, but we know we have nothing to fear and we are excited about that glorious day when we will see You face-to-face. Thank You for saving us so we can worship You forever.
Amen.
As we grieve, the Bible tells us “we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Hopelessness and despair may come for those who lose an unsaved loved one. But as long as a person has breath, there is hope. Pray earnestly for your beloved ones who don’t know the Lord, that when they die, you can grieve with hope.
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