Pause
Oh God, hear my prayer for the loss of a loved one. I know that you grieved and mourned, too, Jesus, which is why I know I can bring this loss to you. I know that even death is not too much for you, that whatever weight or shape grief takes, you can handle it.
Ask
I ask for your close accompaniment as I walk this new road – please do not leave my side. The loss of a loved one is a major life transition, no matter the quality or strain of the relationship that existed in life. I am entering a new, unknown territory. Do not leave me alone in this unfamiliar place. Be with me, walk with me. Please stay with me, God, as I navigate this season of loss.
Listen
I see a riverbed frozen over, cold and hard with the severe and inescapable arrival of Winter. In the warmth of Spring, the river transforms again—cracking and buckling from the change, before flowing onward again. The cycle of life and loss and life again is mirrored for me in the natural world. It is recognisable in the story of your living, dying and rising again.
Share
Jesus, this loss is a wound. It is affecting me in ways that I recognise, and in ways that I do not yet know. You, Jesus, are a wounded healer – your own wounds present and transformed in your resurrected body. Present even now, as you continue offering your sweet healing to us all, to me. Jesus, stay with me, be with me, as I take these steps on this new path of life after loss.
Reflect
Even in my loss, I feel your tenderness towards me. Thank you for your loving kindness, your companionship. For being with me through it all.
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