"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit"
Psalm 34:18
Scripture for Hope and Healing
When a baby dies from SIDS, the hurt and pain run deep, affecting everyone whose life was touched by the precious child. There is hope. Healing does come. At SIDS America, we believe there is healing power in reading and speaking Scripture from the Bible.
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
Speaking and/or meditating on any and all of the following Scriptures can bring incredible healing in grief. Below are some scripture verses that will provide hope, help, and healing along the way.
GOD SAVES US FROM OUR BROKENNESS
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)
GOD BRINGS GOOD OUT OF SORROW
“But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are His … He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness; He brings light to the deepest gloom.” (Job 12:13, 22)
GOD IS IN CONTROL OF LIFE AND DEATH
“You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.” (Job 14:5)
THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH
“It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.” (1 Cor. 15: 42-44)
“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!” (Job 19:25)
LIFE IS SHORT, THERE IS HOPE IN GOD
“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath….And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.” (Psalm 39:4-5, 7)
DESPAIR, HEARTBROKEN, AND HOPELESS
“My days are over. My hopes have disappeared. My heart’s desires are broken.” (Job 17:11)
“I cry to you, O God, but you don’t answer. I stand before you, but you don’t even look. You have become cruel toward me. You use your power to persecute me. You throw me into the whirlwind and destroy me in the storm. And I know you are sending me to my death—the destination of all who live…..My heart is troubled and restless. Days of suffering torment me.” (Job 30: 20-23; 27)
“As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, Where is this God of yours?
My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again- my Savior and my God!
Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you- even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.
‘O God my rock,’ I cry, ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?’ Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, ‘Where is this God of yours?'
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again- my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 42:1-11)
GOD SAVES US FROM DESPAIR
“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.” (Psalm 40:1-3)
FOCUSING ON THE ETERNAL
“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
ENCOURAGEMENT & TRUST IN GOD
“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
“Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10)
BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE ON DEATH VERSUS LIFE ON EARTH
“Again, I (the Teacher) observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless. So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. But most fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun.” (Eccles. 4:1-3)
“the day you die is better than the day you are born” (Eccles. 7:1)
THE GOOD THAT COMES FROM EXPERIENCING SORROW
“Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.” (Eccles. 7:3)
WHEN GUILT TAKES HOLD
“Indeed, how can people avoid what they don’t know is going to happen? None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death.” (Eccles. 8:7-8)
GOD'S STRENGTH IN OUR WEAKNESS
“…(God) said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:9-10)
GOD CARES ABOUT SORROW
“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” (Psalm 56:8)
GOD OUR STRENGTH AND REFUGE IN THE MIDST OF ENEMIES
“My enemies come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets. They scavenge for food but go to sleep unsatisfied. But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.” (Psalm 59:14-17)
GOD'S POWER OVER DEATH
“There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears…In that day the people will proclaim, ‘This is our God!’ We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the Lord, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!’” (Isaiah 25:7-8a, 9)
TRUST IN GOD, FINDING PEACE
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.” (Isaiah 26:3-4)
LIFE AFTER DEATH
“But those who die in the Lord will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!” (Isaiah 26:19)
GOD OUR SAFETY IN TROUBLE
“O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings! For you have heard my vows, O God. You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name.” (Psalm 61:1-5)
WHEN WONDERING WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE
“Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord. You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed.” (Proverbs 23:17-18)
GOD'S COMPASSION AND FAITHFULNESS
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” (Lam. 3:22-25)
WHEN WE HAVE NO WORDS BUT OUR HEARTS ARE CRYING OUT
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Rom. 8:26)
HAVING PEACE IN THE MIDST OF FEAR
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7)
COMFORT
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Cor 1:3,4)
DEPENDENCE ON GOD
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Psalm 143:8-10)
GOD'S STRENGTH AND EMPOWERMENT
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)
GOD PROVIDES OUR EVERY NEED
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)
SATAN'S MOTIVE AND GOD'S PROMISE OF LIFE
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
HOPE
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)
GOD'S POWER
“For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)
NOT CONQUERED BY DEATH
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
GOD'S PROTECTION WHEN WE ARE ACCUSED & JUDGED
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, says the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:17)
GOD'S HELP IN THE MIDST OF OUR FEAR AND DESPAIR
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR FEARS
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)
GOD'S PEACE OVERCOMES OUR FEARS
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)
GOD OUR STRENGTH AND HELP
“You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my place of safety. In his unfailing love, my God will come and help me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies.” (Ps 59:9-10)
GOD TAKES OUR ANXIETY
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
WHEN EXPERIENCING SLEEPLESSNESS
“When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” (Prov 3:24)
DELIVERANCE FROM FEAR
“I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4)
HANDLING TRAUMATIC THOUGHTS & REPLAYING EVENTS IN OUR MIND
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor 10:5)
WE CAN GO TO GOD WITH OUR NEEDS
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” ( Heb 4:16)
HOPE
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the Lord, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. ‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.’” (Psalm 91)
EVERY CHILD IS A PRECIOUS GIFT, MIRACULOUSLY AND PERFECTLY CREATED BY GOD
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.” (Psalm 139:13-18)