



By Amber Ginter
It was 4:38 a.m. on a Tuesday in February. My brother passed away from an overdose the day before Valentine’s Day.
Losing a loved one is one of life’s most painful experiences. No matter how much we prepare, grief is inevitable, and the aftermath comes in waves.
Instead of taking time to grieve, I pushed through the day at work and went to a doctor’s appointment.
By the time I got home, I was a mess—anxious, exhausted, and depressed.
I wasn’t mad at God, but I didn’t know how to mourn.
In the following months, my prayer life became stagnant. God and I had always been close, but now I felt withdrawn and resistant.
I’d lost my brother, resigned from my teaching job, started a new career, and undergone surgery.
I felt utterly alone.
As I talked with my husband and therapist, I realized I’d grown distant from my Creator. It wasn’t intentional, but I needed a reset—a way to reconnect with the Lord.
Grief takes many forms—whether it’s the absence of someone emotionally distant, watching a loved one fade into dementia, or the loss of what could’ve been.
Loss is a part of the human experience.
Our time on earth is limited. Our lives are like vapor. Everything is temporary (Jb 14:5; Ps 90:12; Ps 90:5; Ps 102:11-12; Jas 4:14).
When we experience sorrow, connecting with God matters. Though He sees and knows all, the Lord desires to hear from us.

3 Simple Ways to Reconnect with God in the Midst of Grief
#1 – Grieve: Acknowledge and Process Pain
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” – Matthew 5:4 HCSB
Grief is overwhelming, but we should give ourselves permission to mourn. Healing requires acknowledging and processing the pain.
While the hope of eternity doesn’t make grief easier, our perspective shifts in light of it.
Jesus doesn’t want us to deny our suffering. He meets us in it and weeps with us.
In John 11, Lazarus died because Jesus delayed going to him. When Jesus shows up, He’s met by Martha, a grieving sister of Lazarus.
“Then Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died’” (Jn 11:21). And Jesus wept with the sisters of Lazarus (Jn 11:35).
Grieving is necessary for healing. God understands our pain.
Though the Lord may have something greater in store (like Jesus raising Lazarus back to life), He doesn’t minimize our suffering.
God walks with us in our grief, offering His presence as a source of hope.

#2 – Feel: Be Honest With God About Our Emotions
“Before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, Lord.” – Psalm 139:4 HCSB
Grief is complicated. It is important to be honest with God about your feelings—sadness, anger, fear, or hopelessness.
In John 11, both Mary and Martha expressed frustration with Jesus for not being there when they felt like they needed Him most. Their emotions were raw and unfiltered, but Jesus didn’t rebuke them.
Jesus met the sisters in their pain.
God created us with the capacity for deep emotion (Ps 139:13–14). The Lord already knows what’s in our hearts (Ps 139:1–4), but He invites us to share it.
Intimacy with God grows through honest communication.
Healthy relationships require talking and listening. In grief, we should take time to speak to God and hear from Him—whether through prayer, journaling, worship, or quiet reflection.
Sometimes, we may not have words. Just being in God’s presence can bring healing.

#3 – Focus: Prioritize What Matters
“Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him.” – Psalm 37:7a HCSB
When we lose sight of what matters in our grief, it is helpful to focus on what holds eternal significance.
Keeping your eyes on Heaven helps you remain present in your earthly life. Grief may tempt you to rush through the process or distract yourself, but true healing takes time.
We can’t pour from an empty cup, or heal if we ignore the emotional toll of grief.
Focus on being, not doing.
During grief, we may feel the urge to “do something” to fix the pain. However, true healing comes when we allow ourselves to simply be.
Be present and honest about our emotions and let God speak to us in the quiet moments.
The weeks and months following a loss aren’t the time to push ourselves to move on or be productive. Instead, grieve, reflect, and rest in God’s presence.

Reconnect with God Through Grief
Grief isn’t a straightforward process. It’s messy, painful, and requires time.
As we mourn, feel, and focus on what matters, God will heal us. But healing looks different for each of us.
The Lord doesn’t expect us to have it all together, nor does He rush us through the process.
Take the healing process one day at a time.
God walks with us every step of the way.
God sees you (Gn 16:13), grieves with you (Jn 11:35), and offers comfort through His presence (2 Cor 1:3–4).
While the pain of loss may never fully disappear this side of Heaven, the hope of eternity with Jesus brings peace and perspective—even in the darkest of times.
Friend, allow God to meet you in your grief. It’s okay to feel.
Trust the Lord to carry you toward healing and restoration.
Amber Ginter

Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up, Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. She offers free faith and mental health resources to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.
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