When someone is grieving, even opening a Bible can feel overwhelming. Familiar passages like Psalm 23 may bring comfort at first, but as the months go on and the pain shifts into anger, deep sadness, guilt, regret, loneliness, and relational challenges, people often wonder: Does the Bible really speak to what I’m going through?
What God Says About Your Grief: Comfort from Scripture After Your Loss answers that question.
It’s not a devotional or a list of helpful verses—it’s a book that connects the real, raw experiences of grief with the living Word of God.
We sat down with GriefShare’s curriculum development team to talk about how this book was written, who it’s for, and why it may be one of the most important tools churches and individuals can offer to grieving people.
Q: Why did you write this book?
A: Many grieving people told us they want to hear more Scripture—teaching and passages that speak directly to their challenges and questions in grief. We decided to create a supplemental resource to the GriefShare program that could meet that need. GriefShare leaders, too, were asking for a tool they could put in the hands of participants who long for more biblical depth.
At its heart, this book was written to help people hear God’s voice in their grief. We believe Scripture doesn’t stand outside of sorrow—it steps into it.
Q: How is this book different from other Scripture resources?
A: Many Scripture reference books simply group verses by topic. We wanted to do more than that. Each chapter begins with a situation someone might actually face in grief—feeling emotionally numb, resenting those responsible for a death, or struggling with loneliness.
Then we walk readers into Scripture passages that speak honestly to those experiences. These aren’t proof texts or slogans; they are verses rooted in their biblical context, showing how God’s people across history wrestled with the same emotions. The goal is not just to read Scripture, but to inhabit it, learning how to grieve with God, not apart from Him.
Q: How is the book structured?
A: The book is divided into five sections—Daily Life, Emotions, Relationships, Thoughts, and God—with short chapters in each. This makes it easy for readers to find the chapter that fits what they’re feeling or struggling with in the moment.
There are also special features, including:
- Pages with 12 key passages of Scripture that highlight aspects of God’s character
- Profiles of 12 biblical figures who endured various types of loss and sorrow
- A section on biblical lament, with guidance on how to write your own lament as a way of crying out to God within a biblical framework
Wherever someone opens the book, the goal is the same: to help them encounter God’s Word in the very place they are hurting.
Q: What kinds of topics does it address?
A: In addition to well-known themes like sadness or fear, the book also explores topics not often addressed in other grief resources. Readers will find chapters on:
- Grieving a complicated relationship
- Responding to people who try to control how you grieve
- Struggling with bitterness toward those responsible for a death
- Feeling emotionally numb or shut down
These chapters validate real experiences and remind people that the Bible speaks to all of it.
Q: How can pastors and leaders use this book?
A: This book is designed to serve both grieving individuals and churches. Pastors and leaders can:
- Give it to anyone in their congregation who has experienced loss
- Offer it to GriefShare participants alongside their participant guide for deeper Scripture engagement
- Use it as a resource for discussion in group sessions
- Provide it as a week 13 “send-off” resource after GriefShare ends, so participants leave with ongoing Scripture support
- Offer it as a gift during funerals, pastoral counseling, or hospital visits
It’s a versatile tool—whether someone is in a group or grieving alone, it helps them stay connected to God’s Word. (Not in a GriefShare group but interested? Find one here.)
Q: What do you hope readers take away?
A: Our prayer is that grieving people discover that the Bible speaks with honesty and hope into every part of their pain. Whether it’s Jesus weeping at a tomb, David crying out in anguish, or Naomi renaming herself “bitter,” Scripture shows that God is not distant from grief.
This book was written to help people realize: God sees your sorrow, His Word speaks to it, and His promises still hold true—even here. And it’s an extension of our mission to help equip churches to point those who are grieving to God’s care and comfort.
What God Says About Your Grief points grieving hearts back to God’s Word, and it’s now available now as a resource for grieving people.
Digital version available now. Print edition launching soon!
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