Day 1

“The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die.” (Psalm 116:15, NLT)

“But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. (Psalm 10:14, NIV)

“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept.” (John 11:33-35, NIV)

God cares about your grief.

Perhaps one of the most hurtful things to hear when you’re grieving the loss of a pet is the phrase “it was just a pet.” That’s like saying a tornado is just some wind, a tsunami is just some water, or a landslide is just some mud.

It is the power of the force that creates the impact. And the more powerful the force, the more noticeable the impact.

The same is true of relationships—especially the pure and uncomplicated relationships we share with our pets. The bond we share with our animals is often stronger than the bonds we share with most people. And the stronger the bond, the stronger the grief.

God knows how much you loved your pet, he knows the depth of your grief and pain, and he cares about your broken heart. Your grief doesn’t just affect your heart, mind, and body; it affects your Creator too.

One of the most heartbreakingly beautiful pictures of grief is that of Mary and Martha grieving the death of their brother, Lazarus. Overcome by emotion, Mary falls at Jesus’ feet and weeps. Jesus doesn’t rebuke her. He doesn’t minimize her grief. Instead, he asks her where they have laid Lazarus. It might seem odd for Jesus to ask that question. After all, he knew exactly where Lazarus was and that he would soon raise him from the dead. But Jesus wasn’t looking for an invitation to a tomb; he wanted Mary to invite him into her pain.

“Come and see, Lord,” Mary and the others said, inviting Jesus into their grief. As Jesus entered that sacred pain we call grief, he wept—for them and with them.

And he weeps with you too.

Jesus cares about your broken heart. He sees your pain; he hears your cries; he catches your tears; and he stands waiting for you to invite him into your grief.

Your pain over losing your pet matters to God because you matter to God.

When you’re ready . . .

Take a moment to invite Jesus to come and see your pain. He wants to enter into your grief with you because he loves you.

Prayer

Jesus, I miss my pet so much. I see their absence everywhere, but I can’t see an end to my grief. Would you please come and see my pain? I need your help.