How to Handle Grief Without Feeling Like You’re Failing Spiritually

Because “just trust God” isn’t always enough

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By the time you hit your forties or fifties, chances are you’ve buried someone you love.

A parent. A sibling. A friend gone too soon. Maybe a marriage. Maybe the version of your life you thought you’d be living.

And when grief shows up, it doesn’t knock politely. It barges in.

But here’s the twist: if you’re a Christian, there’s a whole extra layer of complexity to grief. Not just the pain, but the pressure to somehow grieve spiritually.

You know the lines:

“God has a plan.”

“They’re in a better place.”

“Just trust the Lord.”

“Don’t grieve like those who have no hope.”

It’s not that these are bad or untrue. It’s that when your world is upside down and your soul is in pieces, they don’t land the way people intend. They sound like commands. Smile through the tears. Get over it. Keep your faith looking tidy.

But what if you’re grieving and barely holding on?

What if trusting God today looks like dragging yourself out of bed and remembering to eat?