Words of Comfort, Strength, & Hope
What is Your Only Comfort in Life and in Death?
That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
Heidelberg Catechism
God’s Faithful Love Never Ends
The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”
Lamentations 3:19–24
God is the Strength of My Heart
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
Psalm 73:26
No One is Abandoned by the Lord Forever
For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.
Lamentations 3:31–34
Jesus Knows What It’s Like to Be Weak
This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrews 4:15–16
God Draws Near to the Brokenhearted
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed...He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
Psalms 34:18; 147:3
Absent from the Body, Present with the Lord
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:1–8
Grieving in Hope
And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
Comfort for Troubled Hearts
Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
John 14:1–3
Jesus Is the Resurrection and the Life
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die...”
John 11:25–26
He Will Wipe Every Tear From Their Eyes
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
Revelation 21:1–4
God's Promised Presence Calms Our Fears
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior...
Isaiah 43:2–3
Prayers
For Those Who Are Grieving
Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: deal graciously with those who mourn. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer (2019)
For Protection
O Lord, give ear to our prayers and order the way of your servants under the safety of your protection, that, amid all the changes of this our pilgrimage, we may ever be guarded by your almighty power; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gelasian Sacramentary
For God’s Presence
Into your hands, O God, we commend ourselves and all who are dear to us this day. Let the gift of your special presence be with us even to to its close. Grant us never to lose sight of you throughout the day, but to worship and pray to you, so that when evening comes we may again give thanks to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gelasian Sacramentary
For Weary Souls
Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the silent hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting life may rest upon your eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Scottish Book of Common Prayer (1929)
Why Do You Sleep, O Lord?
O Lord, you who command the wind and the waves, why are you asleep in the middle of this storm? Wake up! We need your help. Wake up and rescue us, for the sake of your steadfast love, so that we might rest in your care today. We pray this in the name of Jesus, the One who stills the storm with a word. Amen.
Ryan Wentzel
For Feeling Abandoned By God (Based on Psalm 88)
O Lord, you have placed me in a dark pit and weighed down my soul with many troubles. Morning after morning, I cry out to you, but you continue to hide your face from me. Hear me, O God of my salvation, and incline your ear to my plea. Lead me out of this darkness so I might feel the warmth of your smile again. I pray this in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, who plumbed the depths of forsakenness for me at the cross. Amen.
Ryan Wentzel
For the Suffering
Almighty and everlasting God, the Comfort of the sad, the Strength of sufferers, let the prayers of those that cry out of any tribulation come unto you, that all may rejoice to find that your mercy is present with them in their afflictions; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gelasian Sacramentary
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188, USA. All rights reserved.
