TOPIC 4 TODAY: GRIEF or LOSS

*sorry, this is late but I just got internet service back again, and slowly catching up but needed to share on a topic for me for this week again (it's easier that way)...

GRIEF or LOSS

Need for Comfort

(of course, from the one & only

Holy Comforter)

[source]

Now the point of (formerly)(TUESDAY'S) TOPIC 4 Today is to change any of these verses or combination into a PRAYER for yourself or someone else.

(No names are necessary).

The first week the topic was STRESS, ANXIETY, WORRY that we laid down, in exchange for HIS PEACE & TRUST in HIM (it was a S.W.A.P.)

If you'd like to pray about any of those, you can GO THERE.

Then last time, the topic was ANGER. So you can go HERE for that one... both of these posts give oodles of great scriptures that we need to turn into PRAYER. That's the intent of this BLOG: to PRAY!!! Lift our hearts in one accord to the Throne of God!

Each week, we hope to share different topics & verses to turn into prayers...

we would like you to SWAP "whatever it is " for what God desires to change or replace that "whatever" with HIS "BEST EVER".

Maybe you don't need to pray about the topic but if the spirit impresses upon you, perhaps you will lead by leaving a prayer for someone else who may be struggling in that area. You can always be anonymous. God knows and HE is the only One who truly matters.

Here are verses from God's Word (the Bible) to help with comfort for grief, loss & sadness (I don't know how sites can copyright the sharing of Bible verses to help others, but they do, so though these may duplicate what some have shared, I did my own list, not copied)(geez, this is like school):

Of course there are many Psalms but the best is all of PSALM 23, particularly verse 4. Others include: Psalm 73:26; Psalm 9:9 or 18:2; Psalm 119:50

Here are more given by Encouraging Bible Verses (which has many other great categories as well to encourage you)

I feel why duplicate their great work!

http://encouragingbiblequotes.com/

Psalm 27:4-5; Psalm 30:5; Psalm 34:18; Psalm 37:39; Psalm 46:1-2;

Psalm 48:14; Psalm 55:22; Psalm 71:20-21; Psalm 138:7

Since Isaiah is one of my favorite books, I also have the following verses from there (as the above lists them also and other good ones):

Isaiah 41:10

New International Version (©1984)
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 43:2

Isaiah 49:13

Isaiah 51:11

And most certainly the Bible verse I chose for my regular blog; Isaiah 61 (particularly verses 2 & 3)

...to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair....

Then from the New Testament:

Revelation 21:4

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."

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Brothers (and sisters) we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. ¹⁴We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸Therefore encourage each other with these words.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

1 Peter 5:6-7

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.⁷Cast all your anxiety on Him because HE cares for you."

And of course, the important two from Matthew...

Matthew 11:28 and the one of the be-attitudes Matthew 5:4 (respectively):

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

Jesus knows OUR LOSS, as with his friend Lazarus, as Mary & Martha also knew and then Jesus' own mother, Mary, who knew this pain, this grief, this unbearable sorrow...

If you need more verses for COMFORT in GRIEF or LOSS or SADNESS, please visit the site above ENCOURAGING BIBLE VERSES or maybe FOCUS ON THE FAMILY COUNSELING can guide you or point you in the right direction or for an article, you can try (because I did not have much success in getting it) 15 Comforting Bible Verses for Grief by Josh Wiley (but it sounds great)

BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO CHANGE THIS WORD INTO YOUR PRAYER or A PRAYER FOR ANOTHER YOU MAY KNOW DEALING WITH A LOSS or better said, not able to cope & deal with the grief and the loss of a loved one...

I know, I've been there before and I'm still dealing with a recent loss (on my blog) of a very special friend from the end of last year, that is why these verses are so clear today... I needed them. I needed to identify with how his mother must feel today... as Mary with Jesus... on the day that she gave birth to her son. I needed to have words to encourage her in her pain today... and mine.

So let's not give the enemy an edge to defeat us any longer, WE ARE victorious through Jesus Christ and He wants to give us (S.W.A.P) His peace, His Comfort, His Hope for all eternity by living life to the fullest in honor of those we love!!!

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18

NOW LET US PRAY for ONE ANOTHER

Please refrain from comments but use this for PRAYERS or changing a scripture for anyone that may need your prayers, because sometimes the words just don't come to us when our hearts are heavy and we need someone else. ***

[That's the role of the Holy Spirit, living inside each one of us, who knows Jesus as Our Lord & Savior (if you don't yet or perhaps have wandered away or closed that door in anger at God, it's TIME to come back and PRAY once more to receive Him... click HERE and allow them to walk you through this and lead you in this PRAYER)]

***Actually, that's why Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to remain with us...so call on the Holy Spirit to fill you and speak for you... if you need prayer, you are more than welcome to leave your prayer request (if you can, it's preferred as a prayer also).

Added note: grief or sense of loss is for more than just the loss of a loved one as in death, passing from this life into a better life with God eternally. We can pray together about any of these losses or griefs. I'm sorry if I was leaning towards only one... we all need prayer as we grieve any loss.

Some helpful sites on GRIEF:

Recover from Grief

Helpguide.org

Cancersurvivors.org

Open to Hope

Surviving Suicide

and of course, there are many books on the topic of GRIEF like Coping with Grief but we highly recommend God's WORD!!!