The shock of loss seems to steal our breath and with it our ability to think clearly. It can be extremely difficult to think of how to pray for ourselves and the people we love so dearly. Thankfully, our faith in God and reliance on Him has greater power and yields greater results than our grief.
God knows precisely how our brains function in times like these and He has mercifully given us the Holy Spirit to pray for us.
But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. Romans 8:26b NLT
In Romans 8:26, I see God’s deep compassion for us. I imagine the Spirit so filled with love for us, knowing our weakness in grief and relentlessly praying so that we can experience God’s comfort.
I’ve written the following Scripture prayers so that you and I can find them when tragedy strikes and we can’t find our way through the fog of grief to the words we want to pray.
Note: You can reword these into prayers for those who are grieving and don’t feel like they can pray for themselves.
Declarations of Faith
You are Immanuel, God with me. Thank You for being with me now. Isaiah 7:14
You are the God of all Comfort and I receive Your comfort now. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, Isaiah 66:13, Isaiah 49:1
My heart is broken but You are near. My spirit is crushed, but You are my rescuer. Psalm 34:18
Your Word is my hope. It revives me and comforts me in all my troubles. Psalm 119:50
My soul faints, but you are the breath of life within me. Job 33:4, Ezekiel 37
You are my help, the One who sustains me. Psalm 54:4
You bless those who mourn, and I trust You to bless me and my family with all that we need. Matthew 5:4
You will rescue me from this dark cloud of despair because You delight in me. Psalm 18:19
Thanksgiving
Thank You, Lord, for providing people to weep with me. Romans 12:15
Thank You, Lord, for surrounding me with Your goodness and mercy even today as I grieve. Psalm 23:6
I trust that You, Lord, are my source of joy and I will not weep forever. Psalm 30:5
I’m thankful, Lord, that You have not hidden Your face from me. Thank You for hearing me when I cry to You. Psalm 22:24
Lord, I am thankful that You know what I need before I ask You. Matthew 6:8
Thank You, Lord, for being my strength and my shield. Psalm 28:7a
Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to cast my anxieties on You. 1 Peter 5:7
Petitions
Here’s my broken heart, Lord. I need Your healing touch. Psalm 147:3, Isaiah 61:1
I am weary and heavy-laden and in great need of rest, Lord. Matthew 11:28, Psalm 62:1
Protect me from the evil one and his offerings of depression and anxiety. Hide me under the shadow of Your wing. Psalm 17:8
For Your name’s sake, deliver me from thoughts of weakness, hopelessness and helplessness. Psalm 109:21-22
When my heart sinks low, send Your word and heal me, Lord. Psalm 107:20
Help me, Lord, not to panic and make unwise decisions. I need Your help to be still and acknowledge You as my source of my wisdom and stability. Psalm 46:10
Help me to guard my heart, Lord, so that I am not easily offended by people who say the wrong things or avoid me because they are not sure what to say. Proverbs 4:23
Help me, Lord, to receive Your comfort from the people who are drawing near to me. I do not want to dismiss Your servants who bring me Your comfort. Romans 12:15
My mind feels like fog and then sometimes it is a whirlwind. Guide my thoughts with Your counsel, Lord. Psalm 73:23-24
Deliver me, Lord, from the fear of _________. Psalm 34:4
Praying with Songs
Sometimes it is hard to find the strength to voice our prayers. In those moments, we can listen to the following songs with a “yes, Lord” in our hearts.
Here is a YouTube playlist of prayers for the grieving heart that I put together. You can let these songs bypass your unsettled mind and allow them to nurture your soul with God’s truth about who He is to you and who you are to Him. I find it very helpful to listen to one song that speaks truth to my soul on repeat. Because the songs are in agreement with the Word of God, our sword in the battle, they are mighty against the fiery darts of the enemy that we should expect to battle when we are emotionally drained and vulnerable.
Jennifer O. White is the author of Hope for Your Marriage: 31 War Room Prayers, Marriage Armor and Prayers for New Brides: Putting on God’s Armor After the Wedding Dress. She writes to encourage wives to trust God’s authority and pray in agreement with His Word. You are invited to download 13 Simple Prayers of Hope for Your Marriage at her website, JenniferOWhite.com.