Finding God in Grief
Grief is one of life’s most painful teachers. It doesn’t ask permission, it doesn’t wait until you’re ready. It arrives like a storm and leaves you feeling disoriented, numb, and hollow. But what if, even in that pain, God isn’t absent, but closer than ever before?
In Episode 7 of The Healthy Christian podcast, I sat down with Jereton Edwards for a deeply personal conversation about the death of his mother and the sacred, surprising ways he encountered God in the aftermath of her passing. What followed wasn’t a formula for “getting over it,” but walking through it.
Anyone who has experienced deep loss knows that feeling. The world continues spinning, but yours has stopped. Even the most well-meaning Scripture quotes and encouragements can feel hollow when your heart is shattered.
But as Jereton shared, it was in that loneliness, in the quiet moments where no one had the right words, that he heard God's voice clearest, not as an explanation, but as presence. “God didn’t give me answers,” he said. “He gave me Himself.”
This echoes the promise of Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
The Biblical Invitation to Grieve
In the Christian world, we can sometimes rush grief. We throw Romans 8:28 at the wound, “God works all things for good”, and expect it to heal. But Scripture doesn’t shy away from sorrow. In fact, it honours it.
David poured out his anguish in the Psalms: “My tears have been my food day and night” (Psalm 42:3).
Job tore his clothes and sat in silence.
Jesus Himself wept at the tomb of Lazarus—even though He knew resurrection was coming (John 11:35).
Why? Because grief is not a lack of faith. It’s an expression of love. And when we grieve with God, we don’t just survive the loss, we encounter the Comforter.
As Jereton put it, “You learn quickly that healing doesn’t mean forgetting. It means remembering with less pain and more presence.”
There’s a part of grief no one talks about: the silence. The quiet moments where people stop calling. The nights where your prayers feel like they hit the ceiling. The birthdays, anniversaries, and ordinary Tuesdays that ache with absence.
But it’s often in that silence where God whispers the loudest.
That reflects the heart of Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you… when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.”
Not if, but when. And He will be with you.
Grief As a Doorway, Not a Detour
Grief changes you. It softens you, strips you back, rewires your priorities. For Jereton, it also deepened his calling. It reminded him that pastoral ministry isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about presence. And God’s presence, he discovered, was not just in the triumphs, but in the tears.
It’s what author Elisabeth Kübler-Ross once wrote:
“The reality is that you will grieve forever… you will heal and rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again, but you will never be the same.”
Grief doesn’t mean God is gone. Sometimes it’s where He’s found most.
How Do You Find God in Your Grief?
You don’t need perfect prayers. You don’t need to have it all together. You just need to be honest. Maybe that sounds like:
“God, I don’t understand.”
“God, I miss them so much.”
“God, are You still here?”
And the answer, gently and consistently, is yes. God is not put off by your pain. In fact, He meets you in it. Jesus, the “Man of Sorrows,” understands grief intimately (Isaiah 53:3). He doesn’t promise a life without tears, but He does promise to wipe them away (Revelation 21:4).
Jereton’s story reminds us that faith doesn’t remove grief, it transforms it. It gives sorrow a sacred place. It lets you sit in the ashes while still believing beauty can rise from them.
If you’re in that place, I encourage you to listen to our full conversation on The Healthy Christian podcast here. And explore more resources, like The Five Stages of Grief, for support as you walk this road.
You may not find all the answers. But you will find God. And in the end, that might be enough.
About the Author
Sabrina is a devoted pastor and trained psychologist, passionate about following Jesus and helping people. Together with her husband Ben, they lead Kingdomcity in Brisbane, part of a thriving global church. With nearly two decades of ministry experience, Sabrina is a dynamic speaker and writer, integrating spiritual truths and clinical expertise.
Disclaimer: This article reflects my personal Christian faith and worldview. It is shared to encourage reflection and is not intended to impose beliefs, or serve as professional psychological advice. I respect that each reader may hold different beliefs and invite you to engage with the content in a way that honours your own values.