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A Prayer about Not Rushing Grief

A Prayer about Not Rushing Grief

I am shut in so that I cannot escape;

my eye grows dim through sorrow.  Psalm 88:8-9

Healing Father,

We all know people who have lost people to death, 

whether anticipated or completely unexpected, 

people who have lost homes and possessions to hurricanes and wildfires, 

and people who have lost relationships they once held dear. 

At first, others may gather around 

and check on the grieving, 

but within a few weeks or a month, 

many people move on,

forgetting it ever happened. 

That’s the way it so often works with grief. 

Our loved one dies; 

our home is wrecked; 

our relationship ends, 

and we are still wounded, 

limping through our daily lives, 

but everyone else has moved on. 

Thank you, good Father, 

for giving us time to grieve. 

Thank you for not rushing us through our pain. 

Thank you for teaching us to lament, 

to cry out to you honestly 

about the agony of our loss. 

Throughout Scripture, 

you give us words to speak to you, 

unexpected words, 

blunt words:

“You have put me in the depths of the pit, 

in the regions dark and deep” (Ps. 88:6).

“Your wrath lies heavy upon me, 

and you overwhelm me with all your waves” (Ps. 88:7). 

“He has left me stunned, 

faint all the day long” (Lam. 1:13).

Lord, in the depths of grief, 

may we keep turning to you, 

naming our honest complaint, 

and may we keep waiting 

to see you shed the light of your glory 

into our darkened hearts. 

May we trust that the day will come 

when the tears we have sown 

will be “reaped with shouts of joy” (Psalm 126: 5). 

Until that day comes, 

bring us the comfort only you can bring.

In Jesus’ merciful name. Amen.

Read Psalm 88; Lamentations 3; Psalm 126. 



A Prayer about Caring for Those Who Grieve

A Prayer about Caring for Those Who Grieve

Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. Psalm 88:15

Merciful Father,

Today we continue our prayer for those grieving an agonizing loss 

with more words from Psalm 88.

For those who feel: “Your wrath lies heavy upon me; 

and you overwhelm me with your waves,” (Psalm 88:7), 

show them your tender compassion and mercy 

through the suffering of your Son.

Remind them that he endured your wrath fully 

so that those who trust in him might never endure it again. 

Help us to bear their burdens by believing for them 

as they wrestle with their unbelief. 

For those who feel: “O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? 

Why do you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 88:14),

Draw near to them in their doubt, 

show them your grace.  

May we enter their grief, 

not with words of explanation for the inexplicable, 

but with presence for those who keenly feel your absence. 

Most of all, Father, we thank you for these dark and harsh words of grief 

written right here in our Bibles. 

May we share them with our grieving friends, 

inviting them to lament their losses. 

You are faithful, and you will hear our prayers.

In Jesus’ grieving name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 88:1-18.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Getting Good at Grief

A Prayer about Getting Good at Grief

I am shut in so I cannot escape; my eye grows dim through sorrow. Psalm 88:9

Compassionate Father,

We don’t pray Psalm 88 enough, 

and maybe that’s why we’re not very good at grief. 

Today, we use the words of this dark yet hopeful Psalm

 to cry out for ourselves or for friends 

walking through agonizing losses:

For those who feel: 

“You have caused my companions to shun me; 

you have made me a horror to them” (Psalm 88:8),

come close in their isolation, 

and send us as comfort in the flesh. 

May we never shrink back from horrific suffering, 

but may we enter into it with your grace and hope. 

For those who feel: “I am a man (or woman) who has no strength” (Psalm 88:4),

soothe them with the rest they desperately need, 

and provide the energy to do the things they must do. 

Send us to lift them up, 

whether in prayer or in service, 

Most of all, Father, 

help our friends to see that they’re not alone, 

that you have supplied them with a great cloud of witnesses 

to walk with them in this long and torturous journey.

In Jesus’ faithful name. Amen.

Read Psalm 88:1-18.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Rejoicing in Suffering

A Prayer about Rejoicing in Suffering

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…Romans 5:3-4

Lord Jesus,

Yesterday we prayed about rejoicing 

“in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).

Today we need to face the fact that, 

for those who follow you, 

suffering is not only normal, 

but also a cause for rejoicing. 

That doesn’t really fit our American narrative, 

so help us by your Spirit to understand:

Suffering produces endurance: 

As we fix our eyes on you, 

the “founder and perfecter” of our faith 

who endured the cross for us (Hebrews 12:2), 

we are empowered by your Spirit to keep walking forward, 

one new mercy at a time.

Endurance produces character: 

Through suffering, you are making us “mature and complete” (James 1:4), 

people who are wise and compassionate, 

tender and strong comforters, 

people who don’t toss out spiritual Band-aids, 

people who listen carefully 

and give wise counsel at the right time.

Character produces hope: 

As you grow our endurance and character through suffering, 

we long even more for the future day 

when you will return and make all things new. 

This is the essence of hope, 

and it is a hope that will never disappoint (Romans 5:5).

In your suffering name. Amen.

Read Romans 5:1-5.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Grieving with Hope

A Prayer about Grieving with Hope

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. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Comforting Lord,

How kind your Word is—

you know that we will grieve when we lose loved ones, 

and you don’t tell us not to grieve.

and yet, you remind us 

that your return gives us every reason to hope for a brighter day 

even as we grieve. 

For we know that our loved ones lost to death 

are now with you if they trusted in you in this life. 

You told the thief on the cross, 

“Today, you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). 

Not only that, but you tell us that one day, 

you will return from heaven, 

“with a cry of command, 

with the voice of an archangel, 

and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1 Thess. 4:16). 

In that day, you will raise the bodies of those who died before your return (4:16). 

In that day, you will raise the living, 

who will oddly (to us) enough, 

escort you back to earth to establish your kingdom, 

the new heavens and the new earth (4:17). 

On that day, we will live in unbroken presence of eternal glory.

For this reason, we do not grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13).

In your name we pray. Amen.

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Watching Jesus’ Sorrow

A Prayer about Watching Jesus’ Sorrow

“And he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.’” Mark 14:34

Father God,

This scene in the Garden of Gethsemane 

the night before Jesus’ arrest 

both challenges and comforts me.

Jesus first confessed to Peter, James, and John 

that he was “very sorrowful”

and then commanded them to remain with him 

and watch with him (Mark 14:33-34). 

And yet, he knew they could not

provide faithful companionship 

in his profound suffering. 

It was to you he turned for that. 

He “fell on the ground and prayed,” 

asking you to remove the cup of suffering from him (Mark 14:35-36). 

What did the disciples do? They fell asleep (Mark 14:37, 41). 

What did Jesus do? 

He ministered to them, 

knowing they would soon face the fiercest spiritual battle of their lives. 

He reminded them how desperately 

they would need to depend on God in a season of doubt, 

“Watch and pray, that you might not enter into temptation” (Mark 14:38). 

Lord, God, wake us up! 

Open our minds 

so that we may fully understand Jesus’ kindness 

to his followers in the midst of his suffering. 

Lord, God, wake us up! 

May we hear and heed Jesus’ call to “watch and pray,” 

knowing that he has empowered us 

through his death and resurrection to resist temptation of all kinds.

In Jesus’ suffering name. Amen.

Read Mark 14:32-42.