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When my wife, Amy, passed away after a 13-month, no-holds-barred battle with cancer, I thought I was ready.
I wasn’t ready. Honestly, I’m still not ready, but I have found comfort each day in God’s promises of old. May I share a few of those with you now?
Here are 31 days of God’s ironclad promises for widowers; I pray they help your soul as they have strengthened mine.
Day 1
God’s Promise:
“I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.”—Psalm 16:8 NLT
Praying God’s Promise:
Lord Jesus, my mind knows you’re with me today. Please help my heart to know it as well. (I struggle with that sometimes.) Amen.
Day 2
God’s Promise:
“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.”—Psalm 27:13-14 NASB
Praying God’s Promise:
Oh, Father! I will despair unless your goodness visits me here in the land of the living. Please be good to me today—all day. Amen.
Day 3
God’s Promise:
“Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within.”—Psalm 31:9-10 NLT
Praying God’s Promise:
Have mercy, Jesus. Have mercy on my soul today. Please have mercy. Amen.
Day 4
God’s Promise:
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.”—Psalm 34:18-19 NET Bible
Praying God’s Promise:
Holy Spirit, it must be obvious to you that I’m brokenhearted. It’s not so obvious to me that you’ll come to my rescue. Will you show me that today, please? Amen.
Day 5
God’s Promise:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”—Psalm 51:10-12 ESV
Praying God’s Promise:
O God! Today, in me, please: Create. Renew. Keep. Restore. Uphold. I trust in you, Amen.
Day 6
God’s Promise:
“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God I will praise His word, In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?”—Psalm 56:3-4 NKJV
Praying God’s Promise:
Jesus, I didn’t expect that losing my wife would make me feel afraid, but I’m so scared. Help me to trust in you and not to fear today. Please. Amen.
Day 7
God’s Promise:
“You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?”—Psalm 56:8 NKJV
Praying God’s Promise:
How funny, Father, that you’d collect my tears in your bottle! But also very kind. Thank you for remembering my sorrow today. Amen.
Day 8
God’s Promise:
“Oh, I must find rest in God only, because my hope comes from him! Only God is my rock and my salvation—my stronghold!—I will not be shaken. My deliverance and glory depend on God. God is my strong rock. My refuge is in God.”—Psalm 62:5-7 CEB
Praying God’s Promise:
Dear God, my soul struggles to rest; my heart longs to hope again. Today, in some small way, would you show me how to hope and rest? Amen.
Day 9
God’s Promise:
“He will shelter you with his wings; you will find safety under his wings. His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall. You need not fear the terrors of the night…”—Psalm 91:4-5 NET Bible
Praying God’s Promise:
Holy Spirit, it’s so hard to face the night without her near me anymore. So hard. When I close my eyes tonight, please let me feel the shelter of your wings. Amen.
Day 10
God’s Promise:
“I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!”—Psalm 116:1-2
Praying God’s Promise:
Dear Jesus, dear, dear Jesus. As long as I have breath, remind me that you bend down to listen! I need you today, so thank you for being near. Amen.
Day 11
God’s Promise:
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.”—Psalm 116:15 NIV
Praying God’s Promise:
Ah, Father. Her death was precious to me, too. Thank you for sharing that with me today. Amen.
Day 12
God’s Promise:
“My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.”—Psalm 119:28 NKJV
Praying God’s Promise:
What else can I say, today, Lord? My soul also melts from heaviness. Please strengthen me according to your promises. Amen.
Day 13
God’s Promise:
“Those who sow in tears, Shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.”—Psalm 126:5-6 NKJV
Praying God’s Promise:
Well, God, here are my tears! Now it’s up to you. How about we reap joy—at least a little bit—sometime today? Amen.
Day 14
God’s Promise:
“Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.”—Psalm 143:8 NLT
Praying God’s Promise:
Precious Jesus, I am trusting you today. Oh, Lord Jesus, I give myself to you today. Amen. Amen.
Day 15
God’s Promise:
“The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads…The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.”—Psalm 145:14, 18 NLT
Praying God’s Promise:
Lord of all, I’m calling on you now; I feel so bent beneath this sorrow. Will you help and lift it? Will you be close today? I can’t wait to find out. Amen.
Day 16
God’s Promise:
“Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.”—Proverbs 4:23 NCV
Praying God’s Promise:
All right, God, I get it. This is a good reminder because my thoughts so often go to anger and despair. Today, help me turn my thoughts to you and to hope instead. Amen.
Day 17
God’s Promise:
“He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.”—Isaiah 40:29 NKJV
Praying God’s Promise:
Power to the weak? Oh, how I need that, Holy Spirit! I am so weak. So weak. If you’re giving power today, I’ll take as much as you want to hand out. Thank you. Amen.
Day 18
God’s Promise:
“He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down…”—Isaiah 53:3-4 NLT
Praying God’s Promise:
Jesus, I do so quickly forget that you know—intimately—what I’m going through. Sigh. Lord, I’m sorry for your sorrow. Yet, I am also thankful you know it and me so well. Amen.
Day 19
God’s Promise:
“Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.”—Isaiah 57:1-2 NLT
Praying God’s Promise:
Father, I don’t know why my wife passed away before I did, but I trust that you are giving her peace to rest. Please give me a measure of that peace today, too. Amen.
Day 20
God’s Promise:
“For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.”—Lamentations 3:31-33 NLT
Praying God’s Promise:
Lord, I struggle with the idea that you might’ve brought me this grief. It’s heartbreaking! But I still long for your compassion and unfailing love today. Help me to see that, please. Amen.
Day 21
God’s Promise:
“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him”—Nahum 1:7 NIV
Praying God’s Promise:
Lord God, you are good. Even lost in grief, I still know that’s true. Today, will you be my refuge? Help me experience your care, for I trust in you. Amen.
Day 22
God’s Promise:
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”—Matthew 5:4 NET Bible
Praying God’s Promise:
Jesus, so often lately, this promise feels untrue for me. How about if you and I work together today, so I can testify that it is true—regardless of how I feel right now? Amen.
Day 23
God’s Promise:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”—Matthew 11:28-29 NKJV
Praying God’s Promise:
Ah, Jesus. Here I am. I’ve come to you, hands open to receive. Give rest to my soul today, please. I’ve been waiting for that. Amen.
Day 24
God’s Promise:
“In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.”—Romans 8:26 HCSB
Praying God’s Promise:
Holy Spirit, I have no words today, so I’m just going to cry for a while. Please intercede for me now. Amen.
Day 25
God’s Promise:
“For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!”—Romans 8:38-39 HCSB
Praying God’s Promise:
Wow. Not even death? You are impressive, Christ Jesus. Please grant my heart nearness to your love today when I feel so, so alone. Amen.
Day 26
God’s Promise:
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”—2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
Praying God’s Promise:
Lord, we both know how weak I am, lost in this half-life of sorrow. So now, will you make your power rest on me? I could use that today. Thank you. Amen.
Day 27
God’s Promise:
“Christ himself is our peace.”—Ephesians 2:14 NCV
Praying God’s Promise:
Ah, Jesus. Draw my soul near to your presence today. I love that you are my peace. Thank you. Amen.
Day 28
God’s Promise:
“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”—Ephesians 3:16-17 NLT
Praying God’s Promise:
Limitless Father, today I ask this from you: Inner strength through your Spirit. Christ at home in my heart. My soul rooted in your love to keep me strong. Amen.
Day 29
God’s Promise:
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died…So encourage each other with these words.”—1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, 18 NLT
Praying God’s Promise:
Thank you, Lord, for this encouragement. Please help me today. I don’t want to grieve without hope! Thank you for caring. Amen.
Day 30
God’s Promise:
“God has said, ’Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”—Hebrews 13:5
Praying God’s Promise:
God, I know that I’m not great company sometimes- especially lately. Thank you for sticking around today, anyway. Love you. Amen.
Day 31
God’s Promise:
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever…Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”—Revelation 21:4-5 NLT
Praying God’s Promise:
Lord, it struck me today that you’ve probably already wiped the tears from my wife’s eyes. Thank you for that. Would you tell her I love her—and I’m looking forward to the day when we both get to experience no more death…or sorrow…or crying…or pain? Amen!
Related: 3 Things to Remember as a Widower in the Midst of Grief
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Goodboy Picture Company
Mike Nappa is a practical theologian known for writing “coffee-shop theology” and Christian Living books. He’s a bestselling and award-winning author with millions of copies of his works sold worldwide. An Arab-American, Mike is proud to be a person of color (BIPOC) active in Christian publishing. Google Mikey to learn more, or visit MikeNappa.com. Find Mike Nappa’s bestselling book, Reflections for the Grieving Soul wherever books are sold.
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