Category: Grief

Here, in stillness

Ruth Kirk

Be still in the presence of the LORD (Psalm 37:7; NLT).

Here, in stillness,
Here, in silence,
Here, in darkness –
You are light. 

Here, in splendour,
Here, in rapture,
Here, in oneness –
You are truth.

Here, in trouble,
Here, in failure,
Here, in ruin –
You are peace.

Here, in sorrow,
Here, in longing,
Here, in anguish –
You are love.

God is love (1 John 4:16; NLT).

References

God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).

The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).

The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).

Patient endurance

Ruth Kirk

We are all fragile, fallible, and mortal. Today, in prayer, I saw clearly that the purpose of life is to face its inevitable challenges, sorrows, and sufferings, learning to accept and endure them as patiently as we can, while still loving and serving Jesus in others. This was Christ’s mission, and it is ours as well, for Jesus is resurrected in us all.

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40; NIV).

So here is today’s prayer:

I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5; NLT).

You make us,
You see us,
And hear us.

You know us,
You guide us,
And help us.

You feed us,
You love us,
And hold us.

You wound us,
You teach us,
And heal us.

Look now; I myself am he! There is no other god but me! I am the one who kills and gives life; I am the one who wounds and heals; no one can be rescued from my powerful hand! (Deuteronomy 32:39; NLT).

References

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).

Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher (Isaiah 30:20; RSV).

May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:5; NLT).

Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised (Hebrews 10:36; NLT).

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? (Romans 2:4; NLT).

Love and peace

Ruth Kirk

As he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:41-2, NLT).

I pray for peace
Throughout the world –
In every heart.

For no more guns,
And no more bombs –
The end of hate.

For no more fear,
And no more grief –
The death of war.

Then all will live
In love and peace –
For evermore. 

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ (Ephesians 5:2, NLT).

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18, NIV).

God

Ruth Kirk

God sits above the circle of the earth (Isaiah 40:22; NLT).

God above us,
Brooding, wise:
You hear each cry of grief,
Each breath.

God beside us,
Here on earth:
You give all beings
Life and death.

God in every
Heart and soul:
You are our pearl,
Our King of kings.

God amongst us,
We are one:
Please shelter us
Beneath your wings.

Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings (Psalm 61:4; NLT).

God who sees

Ruth Kirk

You are the God who sees me (Genesis 16:13; NLT).

You are the God
Who sees our cares;
You hear our sighs –
Again, again. 

You are the One
Who knows our fears;
You hear our cries –
Anew, anew. 

You are the Christ
Who shares our pain;
You weep and bless –
Afresh, afresh. 

You are the Lord
Who bears our grief
And loves us all –
It’s true, it’s true.

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens (Psalm 68:19; NIV).

He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

References

He knows the secrets of every heart (Psalm 44:21; NLT).

In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4; NKJV).

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds (Psalm 36:5; NLT).

The mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain (Isaiah 54:10; NLT).

Meeting

Ruth Kirk

LORD, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me (Psalm 131:1-2; NLT).

I don’t need to move,
Or think,
Or speak.

I don’t need to wait,
Or pray,
Or seek.

I don’t need to hope,
Or sigh,
Or search.

I don’t need to weep,
Or grieve,
Or thirst –

Because you are here!
We meet,
And kiss.

I rest in your love,
Your peace,
Your bliss.

My Lord and my God!
My task
Is done –

You’re here, in my heart,
And we
Are one.

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him (Luke 15:20; NLT).

Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT).

References

The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

My beloved is mine and I am his (Song of Songs 2:16; NIV).

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God (Ephesians 3:19; NLT).

Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him (Luke 24:31; NLT).

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30; NLT).

Healing

Ruth Kirk

Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).

In prayer,
We peel away our masks,
Revealing all the dread
We try to hide.

In prayer,
We loosen up our minds,
Disclosing all the thoughts
We keep inside.

In prayer,
We open up our hearts,
Releasing the emotions
We conceal.

In prayer,
We set our spirits free,
Exposing all our wounds
For you to heal.

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds (Psalm 147:3; NLT).

Good Friday 2026

Ruth Kirk

If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God (Isaiah 50:10; NLT).

When there’s no joy,
But only grief;
When there’s no peace,
But only pain;

When there’s no wine,
But only thirst;
When there’s no rest,
But only dread;

When there’s no light,
But only faith;
When there’s no help,
But only hope;

When there’s no choice,
But only death –
Just follow Christ,
And trust in God.

Follow me and be my disciple (Matthew 9:9; NLT).

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).

Trust in God (John 14:1; NLT).

References

Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34; NLT).

Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NLT).

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever (Psalm 73:26; NLT).

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe (John 20:29; CSB).

Reading: Habakkuk 3:17-19; NLT.

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

Human and divine?

Ruth Kirk

Today’s blog follows on from a piece I posted here a couple of days ago. If you haven’t already seen it, you might find it helpful to read that one first: https://wp.me/p45bCr-mDU.

Because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires (2 Peter 1:4; NLT).

You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26; NLT).

Lord,

Are we, too, human
And divine –
Not just here on earth,
But for all time?

We are your siblings –
Children of one God;
Drinking your cup, Lord,
Trusting your staff and rod;

Bearing your grief,
Your dread of facing death;
Sharing your cross, your pain,
Your final breath.

We are your flesh and blood,
Your heart, and soul;
You are our way, our truth, our life,
Our goal.

Christ lives within you (Romans 8:10; NLT).

My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings (Philippians 3:10; CSB).

I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14; CSB).

References

The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7; KJV).

To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God John 1:12; NLT).

Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother! (Matthew 12:50; NLT).

Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering” (Mark 10:39; NLT).

Rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory (1Peter 4:13; CSB).

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (Philippians 3:8-11; NLT).

Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body? (1 Corinthians 6:15; CSB).

The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).

When you struggle

Ruth Kirk

Is not all human life a struggle? (Job 7:1; NLT).

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? (Psalm 13:2; NLT).

When you struggle:
I am near.

When you suffer:
I am here –

Sharing all your
Grief and pain –

Come, be one with me
Again!

The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).

References

Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you (Isaiah 30:20; NLT).

I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5; NLT).

The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul Genesis 2:7; KJV).

The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).

Reading: Philippians 3:8-11.