I wrote this post before my father passed away last weekend and before we had to put our dog to sleep yesterday. It has been an emotionally intense time, but God is faithful to his children, and the words I wrote remain true.
The God of all comfort… comforts us in all our troubles. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NV)
My dog is dying. I never knew I could love a pet so deeply that losing her would hurt this much. I’ve prayed for her healing, but unless God performs a miracle soon, she will pass away. I will miss her sweet personality, her soft ears, and simply having her near. Her body has fought bladder cancer for at least 14 months, and we’ve been given over a year more than the vet ever expected. I’m grateful for that extra time, but I’ve been struggling with the reality that it’s coming to an end.
For many people who have faced major losses, grief may feel like an old companion—but it’s not something I’ve walked with often. And as it settles in, it has brought deep questions about God and prayer that I’ve wrestled with throughout this month.
When Paul talked about death, he wanted us to know that we do not grieve as those who have no hope when someone dies. Believers who have passed on before us are eternally home with Jesus.
But the Bible never talks about when pets die. It simply says – repeatedly and with assurance – that God is with us when we grieve. And for that I am grateful.
Do I know she’s “just a dog” and not a person? Of course. And I’m aware that far more consequential losses will come in the future; none of us can avoid the death of someone we love. But today I’m sitting with this grief—not tomorrow’s—and letting God speak to me through it.
Today I am leaning into these words by pastor Graham Cooke.
“Grief is a process, not a problem to solve. And God wants to walk through that process with you. I used to think grief meant something was wrong with my faith or that I wasn’t trusting God enough. But I’m learning that grief is actually a form of love—it’s how we honor what mattered to us.
God doesn’t want to fix your grief quickly or take it away immediately. He wants to be with you in it, to teach you about His heart through it, to show you His faithfulness even when life feels broken.
Some of the deepest intimacy with God happens not when everything is fine, but when everything hurts and He’s still there. When joy feels impossible and His presence is still real. When answers don’t come but His comfort does.
Grief teaches us things about God’s nature that we can’t learn any other way—His gentleness with our pain, His patience with our questions, His ability to sit in hard places without needing to explain them away.
He’s not trying to rush you through this. He’s trying to walk through it with you. He’s not trying to fix your sorrow—He’s trying to be your comfort in the middle of it.
Your grief has a place in your relationship with Him. It doesn’t make you less faithful—it makes you more human, and He loves your humanity.” – Graham Cooke
God,
Thank you for your Word, your Presence, and for being close to the brokenhearted and those who grieve. Thank you for this opportunity to honor what we love and for comforting those who mourn. Help us not to fear death, but to recognize your Presence throughout the grieving process. Teach us what we need to know as we face the very real losses in our lives. Strengthen us, uphold us, and calm our fears. Show us your gentleness and patience as we walk this road of grief with you. We ask this in Jesus’ name, AMEN.
Now we do not want you to be uninformed, believers, about those who are asleep [in death], so that you will not grieve [for them] as the others do who have no hope [beyond this present life]. (1 Thessalonians 4:13 AMP)
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18 NIV)
So do not fear, for I am with you… I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4 NIV)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. (Psalm 23:4 NIV)