7-12-2026: The Healing Journey of Loss and Grief

Guest Speaker: MJ Fair and Geoff James

Sermon Title: The Healing Journey of Loss and Grief

Scripture Reading: Psalm 13; 34:18; John 11:35; Romans 12:15; Galatians 6:2

Sermon Focus: The Bible has a lot to say about God’s presence in our journey with grief and loss in our everyday lives. This message guides us through some Scriptures that enable us to focus on positive ways to cope with the sadness and brokenness caused by the loss of someone or something we have loved. Join Grantham members M.J. Fair, former pastor of congregational care, and Geoff James, retired primary care physician, as they encourage us that learning to lament, to share, and to walk with one another in these extraordinary times provide us opportunities to become more resilient, hopeful, and to live more joyfully as we grow around our grief.

1. There are many types of losses that set us on the grief journey – loss of a loved one, job, relationship, home, ability, and more. What are some of the losses you’ve experienced in your life?

2. John 11:35 and Psalm 34:18 remind us that God is present with us in our sorrow and promises to bring renewal through pain. How have you experienced God’s presence and promise when you’ve gone through hardship? Have you noticed how life grows around your grief?

3. Read Psalm 13, which is a prayer of lament. What are the elements of this prayer? What is the mood or tone of the prayer? How does this passage speak to you about going to God honestly in your pain?

4. Dr. Geoff James shared some practical skills for developing resilience when we face adversity and grief, including journaling, mindfulness, and meditation. Other skills include naming emotions, practicing gratitude, developing social connections, deep breathing, and more. Many of these can be practiced in conjunction with or as a way of prayer. Which of these practices stand out to you as something that has helped you in the past in processing grief or may help you now or in the future as you journey through grief?

5. Romans 12:15 and Galatians 6:2 remind us that one of the most important aspects of healing through grief is sharing our pain with others. That can sometimes be uncomfortable in our culture and can feel very vulnerable, both for the person grieving and the one seeking to comfort. What has or could it look like for your small group or our church in general to grieve together and carry each other’s burdens?

6. LIFE ON MISSION QUESTION: Is there someone in your life right now who you know is grieving? How might God be inviting you to mourn and be present with that person?

7. Pray together, lifting up one another’s burdens and asking God how he is inviting you to respond.