Lord God, hear my prayer.
My struggle, as You know, is with loss.
Through death, I've lost
a significant part of me.
I'm left here wondering,
striving to pick up the pieces weary of the task.

Like a bird whose nest has been robbed,
I feel lost, alone and purposeless.

Some days, I'm better --
energized, feeling alive, ready to engage life.
Other days, I regress --
despondent, feeling lonely, ladened with sorrow.

I'm told to get out more, to snap out of it,
to move on
to quit hurting.
And I wish I could. But this work
of grieving takes time,
for my life is slowly taking
new shape, new directions
And such a process, like birth,
takes time, and the kind
assistance of others, and You.

Lord, I appreciate the memories,
those private, sacred treasures
that bring me tears and laughter.
I thank You for Your Word,
replete with stories of other grievers,
and comforting phrases of Your love.
I praise You for those special friends
who give me space to hurt,
who ask me to recall precious stories,
who refuse to let me despair alone.

Such gifts, Lord, keep me going,
and remind me
that tomorrow, like yesterday and today,
is in Your capable, caring hands.
Lord God, hear my prayer.

(from Accepting Bereavement (copyright 21st Century Christian, 1999)