Comfort for When Loved Ones Pass On
Words from Jesus
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“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:41
Though your heart breaks and tears flow on earth when your loved one passes on, in heaven there is rejoicing because this dear child of Mine is in My arms, perfectly happy and whole. Here I hold him close, wipe away his tears, and show him My great love for him.
In just a little while you will be reunited. Until then, hold tightly to My hand and let Me comfort you. Remember that the one whom you love but can no longer see is now in a better place. He is in My presence, where he is free from all pain, problems, and sorrow, and he now experiences My love without measure.
You cannot possibly imagine the love and joy and freedom that your loved one now experiences in the heavenly realm, but in My Word you can find a foretaste—a glimpse of heaven and its wonders. Come into My arms and let Me wipe away your tears. Let Me ease your pain and mend your broken heart. Let Me carry you through this time of heartbreak and loss. Come, find sweet relief in My presence, just as your loved one has.
Glorious new life
“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”—Romans 14:82
Your loved one has not vanished like dust in the wind. He has passed on to a new place, a new existence. His love for you is just as strong as ever. The memories he shared with you are just as fresh in his mind and remembered even more fondly. The pain you endured together is still there, too, but now he understands much better what it was all for, and he sees how each thread of your earthly experience has been woven together to form the beautiful tapestry of your lives.
I know it is difficult to accept that you will no longer enjoy his companionship in this life. You must believe that this end of his earthly life was not meant to be the end for you. He is still living, only in another realm. He is still fulfilling the purpose for which he was created, and so must you.
When the time comes for you, too, to pass from the shadows into the light, you will better understand. You will fully know as you are now fully known.3 Then the love that you had to let go of will be with you once again. It will be the beginning of a whole new and wonderful life of love that you will share for all eternity.
Perfect love
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”—John 11:25–264
Your loved one isn’t lost to you forever. She has just stepped into a different dimension. It’s as though she has gone on a journey ahead of you, and one day you will join her in that new world. It’s a beautiful world, full of love and beauty, joy and laughter, peace and plenty.
I know you are heartbroken and sorely miss her, but you can rejoice in knowing that she has been freed from pain and has found perfect love and peace in Me. Though you’ll have to walk the road of life without her for a time, this time apart will make your reunion in heaven all the sweeter.
Love doesn’t die when a soul passes from this earth to the realm beyond. Love endures forever.5 Love joins hearts and transcends the boundaries that separate your worlds. Her love is a treasure that you will never lose, and so is Mine. I will comfort your heart and give you peace until the day you finish your journey and find yourself in the arms of your loved one once again.
Healing for times of grief
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”—1 Thessalonians 4:13–146
Your loved one’s death was unexpected, and you didn’t have a chance to prepare or say goodbye. I understand the emotional distress you struggle with now. I know the sorrow you feel, and My heart breaks for you.
It is hard to lose loved ones, and it is natural to grieve their loss. Even if you believe that they are safe and secure in heaven, and that they have joined Me in their eternal home, and that I watch over them lovingly, you still feel the loss. But I want to comfort you and fill that void with My love and perfect peace—peace that transcends your natural reasoning and emotions; peace that doesn’t make sense in the way you usually try to make sense of things, but is wonderfully real and comforting.
The Bible speaks about the “peace that surpasses all understanding.”7 This is the kind of comfort that only I can give you. Even when you have every reason to sorrow and despair, I can pour My soothing balm over your spirit. I can pick up the pieces of your broken heart and help put it back together again.
You will always love and miss the one you lost, but you never need to feel alone or unloved or to despair over your loss. I am here for you. I have promised to never leave or forsake you, and I love you for all eternity.
Safe in My arms
“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”—Deuteronomy 33:278
Your beloved one who has left this life is safe in My arms and home in heaven. She is as happy and carefree as a little child because she is free from the pain that was wearing away her earthly body. She is young again—in the prime of life. I am sorry that you miss her so, but it was her time to come home. She was ready and wanted to come to Me.
Now she understands what she could not understand before. She is blessed with more of My love and feels more secure in My love than ever before. She looks back on her life on earth and your time together and sees how everything worked together for good. Nothing would make her happier than to see you truly rejoice in the gift of her life and the love and faith you shared, with no regrets.
Everlasting love
“Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”—John 16:229
Nothing will separate you from My love. Neither height nor depth, nor life nor death will ever separate you from My love.10 No matter how deep the sorrow, I will hold you tight, for My hands can reach to the lowest depths to raise you up.
Commit your precious loved one into My care. Your loved one is safe in My arms in the eternal realm. Nothing will ever diminish the gift of this precious love that you have shared.
I know how hard it is to say goodbye to your loved one. I know the heartbreak that you feel, for My Father and I were also separated for a time. But know that it is only for a brief moment of time. It will pass with the twinkling of an eye, and you will have all eternity to spend together!
This precious love that I have given you is forever, and I have prepared a place for you for all of eternity—your eternal home.11
Published on Anchor November 2021. Read by Simon Peterson.
Music by Michael Dooley.
1 ESV.
2 NIV.
3 1 Corinthians 13:12.
4 NIV.
5 1 Corinthians 13:13.
6 NIV.
7 Philippians 4:7.
8 NIV.
9 NIV.
10 Romans 8:38–39.
11 John 14:3.
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