What the Bible says
At the grave of Lazarus, though He was about to raise him, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). The Son of God did not stand far off from sorrow. Isaiah foretold that He would be “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3), and “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). When you grieve, you are not alone. The One who weeps with you is the One who bore sin and death at the cross.
The Lord draws near to the broken. “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart” (Psalm 34:18). “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). David even said that God keeps his tears: “put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” (Psalm 56:8). Scripture gives room to mourn, for there is “A time to weep … a time to mourn” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Tears are not a lack of faith.
Christians still grieve, but not without hope. Paul writes, “that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). The reason is the resurrection: “if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Then He asked, “Believest thou this?” (John 11:26).
God comforts us so that we can comfort others. He is “the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4). For now, “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). And Scripture promises a day when “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:4). Bring your sorrow to Christ, who has conquered the grave.
14 verses, King James Version
Psalms 147:3
He healeth the broken in heart
3He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
Psalms 30:5
Joy cometh in the morning
5For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Revelation 21:4
No more death, neither sorrow
4And 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.
Psalms 23:4
Thou art with me in the valley
4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Matthew 5:4
Comfort for those who mourn
4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
John 11:25–26
Jesus has power over death
25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 11:33–36
Jesus cried with His friends
33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35Jesus wept. 36Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
1 Thessalonians 4:13–14
Grief with hope
13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
2 Corinthians 1:3–4
God comforts us in all our troubles
3Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Psalms 34:18
He is close to the brokenhearted
18The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Isaiah 53:3–4
Jesus knows sorrow from the inside
3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Psalms 56:8
He keeps track of your tears
8Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
Ecclesiastes 3:1–4
Mourning has its season
1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Revelation 7:17
The Lamb will lead and comfort His people
17For 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.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (public domain). Read aloud by Anthony.