God’s Hand in Healing: 7 Ways He Restores After Grief

March is a hard month for my family. Although in different years, we lost my daughter-in-law’s mother, my son-in-law, my mother and my granddaughter, all in the month of March.

Even though the years differ, the anniversary of their passing all happens at the same time. Sorrow becomes fresh again and memory brings tears.

Yes, the Lord gives comfort and strength to get through the initial loss and also with each anniversary. When you love someone, it’s only normal to shed tears as you miss them.

I can say in all honesty; the Lord helps the broken hearted. He eases the pain and replaces it with wonderful memories that last a lifetime.

This post is about God’s Hand in Healing: 7 Ways He Restores After Grief. Here is what we will be discussing:

• God’s Presence Bring Peace
• God Comforts Through His Living Word
• God Heals Through the Love of Others
• God Renews Your Strength
• God Rebuilds Hope for the Future
• God’s Promise in Eternity
• God Gives Purpose to Pain
• Conclusion

God’s Presence Bring Peace

Psalm 34:18 NIV “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

This verse says “close to the brokenhearted”. His presence envelopes you in His love and softens your pain with His peace so you can bear it.

Merriam-Webster says brokenhearted means: to be overwhelmed by grief or despair”. When you are in this state, it’s hard to think about anything but the pain. God understands. He was separated from His Son, Jesus Christ on the cross when He carried our sin.

He takes your crushed spirit and refreshes it with His comfort and love. This is more than the use of mere words, it’s real. It only happens when you commit your pain to Him.

God Comforts Through His Living Word

Psalm 119:50 NIV “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.”

Psalm 119 is written by David about His love for God’s Word and how powerful it is in helping him. His comfort in suffering is the promises held within God’s Word.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV “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.”

God is not just compassionate but the author of compassion. Every good and perfect gift is from above.

He is able to comfort you in all your troubles. He is not dependent on anyone or thing to help, He is there immediately when you call.

Our experiences can be used to help others overcome their grief by showing God’s love and compassion. Have you ever been helped by someone in your sorrow?

Reading God’s Word can help ease your pain and comfort your heart. In the concordance of your Bible, or Bible Gateway Concordance, look up sorrow or comfort for verses about these topics.

God Heals Through the Love of Others

Galatians 6:2 NIV “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Have you ever shared a burden with someone? When you really are involved with another’s burden, your heart is affected. You may even feel some of the emotions they are having. This is sharing and a part of loving that person.

John 13:34 NIV ““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Jesus tells us in the verse above that you are to give others the love He gave you. Part of that love is sharing burdens.

When you are suffering, talking to others who have gone through grief can help comfort your heart. This is God’s intention for you in your sorrow.

Are you willing to let others comfort you?

God Renews Your Strength Day by Day

Isaiah 40:31 NIV “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Healing from sorrow doesn’t happen overnight. The process begins as you turn your pain over to the Lord. Each day as you have time with Him in prayer and in His Word, you move forward in your healing.

You are not forgetting, but replacing the negative feelings with positive ones. Example: Instead of focusing on the pain, think about what made that person special to you and how you can honor their memory.

The Lord says in this verse, when you place your hope in Him, He renews your strength. In those moments when you become overwhelmed with your emotions, He is there to give you peace and restore you.

What small steps of healing is the Lord leading you toward today?

God Rebuilds Hope for the Future

1 Peter 5:10 NIV “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

Our God, in His grace will restore you. This period of sorrow will not last forever, but your suffering will turn into the Lord’s peace.

The result is you become stronger, firmer, and unwavering in your faith. This becomes a part of your spiritual growth in Jesus Christ.

In your sorrow, knowing the Lord will bring you through, builds your hope as you move toward healing. It softens the pain in your heart and brings His light to your day.

God’s Promise in Eternity

Revelations 21:4 NIV “‘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.”

What a promise this is. Imagine no pain, death, mourning or crying. Just God’s joy and peace.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 NIV “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” 

Here you see that as Christians, you do not grieve like unbelievers. You have the hope to see your loved ones again. This lessens the pain.

Here are two promises to look forward to and help in your sorrow. What would it look like to live with eternity in mind?

God Gives Purpose to Pain

Romans 8:28 NIV “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Who can say this besides God? Who has the power to promise that in everything He works for the good of those who love Him?

In the time of sorrow, it’s hard to imagine anything good coming from it. God says He is able to bring His light and goodness to a bad situation.

This should build your hope and give you the strength to make through. Remember, He loves you.

Conclusion

Yes, March is a month of reliving the loss of people we love and hold dear. Yet, it is a month of knowing our lives were graced by these that have passed.

Knowing where they are creates warm memories. How grateful we are they know the Lord.

God has not left you defenseless in your grief. He has a plan for you to get through this time. These are just a few things He gives to you.

When you have time, review these verses. They will continue to comfort you in your healing.

Have questions? Leave a response in the comments. – Jackie