Aya: What are some encouraging Bible verses to encourage someone who has lost a family member?
I am look for some Bible verses to encourage a friend who I have a hard time with a family members death. I am not sure what to say to that person so that is why I am looking for Bible verses.
Answers and Views:
Answer by Muldah
Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken [it].
Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
1Cr 15:55 O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory?
Answer by RBMuldah has some good ones. I also recommend Psalm 23.Answer by Jennifer M- F
What Not to Do . . .
Do not keep away because you do not know what to say or do: ‘I’m sure they need to be alone right now,’ we may tell ourselves. But perhaps the truth is that we are keeping away because we are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. However, being avoided by friends, relatives, or fellow believers may only make the bereaved one feel lonelier, adding to the pain. Remember, the kindest words and actions are often the simplest. (Ephesians 4:32) Your presence alone can be a source of encouragement. (Compare Acts 28:15.) Recalling the day her daughter died, Teresea says: “Within an hour, the lobby of the hospital was filled with our friends; all the elders and their wives were there. Some of the women were in hair curlers, some were in their work clothes. They just dropped everything and came. A lot of them told us that they didn’t know what to say, but it didn’t matter because they were just there.”
Do not pressure them to stop grieving: ‘There, there, now, don’t cry,’ we may want to say. But it may be better to let the tears flow. “I think it’s important to allow bereaved ones to show their emotion and really get it out,” says Katherine, reflecting on her husband’s death. Resist the tendency to tell others how they should feel. And do not assume that you have to hide your feelings in order to protect theirs. Instead, “weep with people who weep,” recommends the Bible.—Romans 12:15.
Do not be quick to advise them to discard clothing or other personal effects of the deceased before they are ready: We may feel that it would be better for them to discard memory-evoking objects because they somehow prolong the grief. But the saying “Out of sight, out of mind” may not apply here. The bereaved person may need to let go of the deceased slowly. Recall the Bible’s description of the patriarch Jacob’s reaction when he was led to believe that his young son Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. After Joseph’s blood-stained long garment was presented to Jacob, he “carried on mourning over his son for many days. And all his sons and all his daughters kept rising up to comfort him, but he kept refusing to take comfort.”—Genesis 37:31-35.
Do not necessarily avoid mentioning the departed one: “A lot of people wouldn’t even mention my son Jimmy’s name or talk about him,” recalls one mother. “I must admit I felt a little hurt when others did that.” So do not necessarily change the subject when the deceased one’s name is mentioned. Ask the person whether he needs to talk about his loved one. (Compare Job 1:18, 19 and 10:1.) Some bereaved persons appreciate hearing friends tell of the special qualities that endeared the departed one to them.—Compare Acts 9:36-39.
Do not be too quick to say, ‘It was for the best’: Trying to find something positive about the death is not always ‘consoling to depressed souls’ who are grieving. (1 Thessalonians 5:14) Recalling when her mother died, one young woman said: “Others would say, ‘She’s not suffering’ or, ‘At least she’s in peace.’ But I didn’t want to hear that.” Such comments may imply to the survivors that they should not feel sad or that the loss was not significant. However, they may be feeling very sad because they dearly miss their loved one.
It may be better not to say, ‘I know how you feel’: Do you really? For example, can you possibly know what a parent feels when a child dies if you have not experienced such a loss yourself? And even if you have, realize that others may not feel precisely as you felt. (Compare Lamentations 1:12.) On the other hand, if it seems appropriate, there may be some benefit in telling how you recovered from the loss of your loved one. One woman whose daughter had been killed found it reassuring when the mother of another girl who had died told of her own return to normal living. She said: “The dead girl’s mother didn’t preface her story with ‘I know how you feel.’ She simply told me how things were for her and let me relate to them.”
Helping a bereaved person calls for compassion, discernment, and much love on your part. Do not wait for the bereaved one to come to you. Do not simply say, “If there’s anything I can do . . .” Find that “anything” yourself, and then take the appropriate initiative.
Answer by redheadedI Cor 15:26 and 27
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