A Prayer When Autumn Is Full of Grief
By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading:
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
Listen or Read Below:
Autumn used to be my favorite season, but now it is filled with grief, mourning, and pain. It used to brighten up my heart with the colorful leaves, the cool air, and the magic of the season; however, everything changed when my mom passed away in the middle of autumn. For years, I hated the month of October because it only reminded me of her passing.
It took many years before I could cope with this season again. I have made progress and no longer associate it with complete darkness in my life. As believers, we don’t need to be afraid of grief, as it is a normal part of loving and losing someone. Grief is the outpouring of all the love you had for that person. Therefore, we don’t need to be ashamed or embarrassed to admit that we are going through grief because it only demonstrates the love we have for the person who is no longer with us.
The Lord tells us, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). This passage is part of Jesus’ larger teaching known as the Beatitudes. During the Beatitudes, we see the Lord stating various, “blessed are those” statements in order to bring comfort and insight to His listeners. For this particular beatitude, Jesus says those who mourn are blessed for they will be comforted.
The comfort Jesus is speaking of is the comfort of God Himself. Whenever we are grieving, He wraps us up in His love. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and He will heal our wounds (Psalm 147:3). Whenever the pain, sorrow, and grief are overwhelming, turn to God and know that He will give you the comfort you need.
I have seen this to be true in my own life as well as in the lives of my family members. Over time, I have also seen how God’s comfort has helped me to comfort others who are grieving, just as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. Grief changes us and makes us more empathic and understanding towards others. As believers, we have the privilege of extending the comfort we receive from God to those around us.
If you, too, associate the season of autumn with grief, know that it is okay. You are not alone! Rather than running from or ignoring the pain, turn to the Lord, pour out your heart to Him, and find comfort in His love. He will give you all the comfort and hope that you need to keep going.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Jesus,
Autumn is full of grief this year, and it makes me deeply sorrowful. I don’t want to be filled with this sadness anymore, but I know it is part of the love I have for my loved one who passed away. Please help me accept grief rather than fighting it off. Equip my heart and soul to be open to your love, encouragement, and hope rather than turning to self-isolation or dissociation. Thank You for Your comfort and for giving my heart everything it needs to keep going. I truly am blessed because I am comforted by You. Autumn is full of grief, but it is also filled with beauty. Help me to see this beauty around me and to bring comfort to others just as You have done for me. I know the pain they’re feeling, and I want to help them through these struggles.
I thank You and I praise You, Lord.
Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/DjelicS
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