Do you need a guide to spiritual renewal after loss?
Loss is painful. Often, we face a cumulation of losses in a certain season of our lives.
When this happens, we grieve.
Grief occupies a lot of mental and emotional space. It stirs up anger, anxiety, fear, and loneliness—and makes experiencing joy difficult.
Not only does our joy seem to disappear, but so does our vision for the future. We may even dread the future instead of looking forward to it with joyful expectations.
Here is a sneak peek of my guest post for Living by Design Ministries where I share several steps to find joy again and spiritual renewal after loss.
Remember to pin me for later!
A Guide to Spiritual Renewal After Loss
We ask ourselves, “Will I ever be happy again? Will I ever feel the joy of life again?”
These were my feelings and thoughts after the unexpected loss of my husband.
The loss has had repercussions in every area of my life, including my relationship with the Lord. I felt bare, dry, and desolate.
Is joy possible again? How can I find it? This is what I learned on my journey back to joy and spiritual renewal.
“For I will create a new heaven and a new earth; the past events will not be remembered or come to mind. Then be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight.” – Isaiah 65:17–18 HCSB
God created us for joy. The entire Bible echoes God’s desire to infuse us with joy, peace, and delight now and forever.
Joy is oxygen for our souls, boosting our strength and resilience.
We feel the joy of life when we are happy about the good things we see and experience, but the joy of the Lord is the source of our strength (Neh 8:10).
We may temporarily lose our joy of life, but we have constant, permanent access to the joy of the Lord!
Rediscovering joy means learning to renew our connection with God and tap daily into His presence, regardless of our mental and emotional condition.
We may temporarily lose our joy of life, but we have constant, permanent access to the joy of the Lord. #loss #grief #mentalhealth Share on XFour Steps on Our Way Back to Joy and Spiritual Renewal
#1 Believe God Wants To Restore Joy
God is the God of “Again!”
He plans and works for restoration even before the tragedy strikes. We can trace His purpose and unwavering intention from the beginning of the Bible to the end.
God has a plan for redemption, restoration, and complete healing. An “again” will come into our lives.
God spoke through the prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah to give His people hope and comfort (Jer 31:13; Is 61:3).
This can also be true in our personal lives. But we need to trust that the Lord wants to heal us and restore our joy.
Do you want to know the other 3 ways to spiritual renewal after loss? Visit Living by Design Ministries to read the rest and be strengthened and encouraged.
Spiritual Renewal Is Possible When We Draw Near to God in Our Pain
If you want to learn more about how God used my losses, grief and other painful experiences to transform and bless me, my book,“Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings,” is for you.
Let me take you on a journey through 13 painful experiences, showing losses and the precious blessings in each of them.
God can use our grief and other painful experiences to restore and bless us. #grief #losses #drawnearbook #blessings Share on X
More Encouragement for You
If you need more resources, encouragement, and comfort when you go through pain, grief, and despair, I can highly recommend these books. Check them out.
Trusting God in All the Things: 90 Devotions for Finding Peace in Your Every Day by Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk
Make Up Your Mind: Unlock Your Thoughts, Transform Your Life by Denise Dubois Pass and Michelle Nietert
Life Can Be Good Again by Lisa Appelo
It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lisa Terkeurst
Hope When Life Unravels: Finding God When It Hurts by Adam Dooley
Restoration Year – a 365 Days Devotional by John Eldredge
All Things New by John Eldredge
Hope for the Hard Days by Sarah Geringer
Lean into Grace by Stacey Pardoe
This page contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. The commission I make from these items will help keep this blog going. Thank you!
Your Turn
Do you struggle to find joy again after loss? How does spiritual renewal look for you? Share in the comments and on social media if you found this article helpful. Thank you!
Do you want to watch this post as a vlog? Click HERE. If you found it helpful, please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Thanks!
This was such a beautiful and thoughtful guide to finding spiritual renewal after loss. Your words are comforting and provide such meaningful ways to heal and reconnect. I truly appreciate the gentle reminders that grief is a journey, and renewal comes in different ways for everyone. Thank you for sharing this!
Thanks a lot, Gina! I am glad you found the post encouraging and helpful. Yes, the grief and healing journey is unique to everyone, and we can trust the Lord to provide unique care for each grieving heart.
Thank you for this guide to spiritual renewal after loss. Grieving is so difficult and personal, and our faith can be such a help.
Thanks, Kristina! Yes, the grief journey is unique for each of us. I am glad you found the post helpful.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on spiritual renewal following loss. Your book Draw Near is also full of heartfelt wisdom and encouragement.
Thanks a lot, Crysti! I am glad you found this post helpful and grateful for your wonderful review of my book.
Thank you for sharing your heart and your wisdom here, sweet friend. And thanks for the book mention. You are such a gift for so many reasons.
Thanks so much, my friend! It is a pleasure to recommend your wonderful book. Sending hugs!
Thank you for posting this guide to spiritual renewal after loss. I appreciate your point about keeping the connection to God strong and finding the Lord’s joy when things look bleak. Inspiring, as always!
Thanks so much, Lisa! Yes, staying close to the Lord and abiding in Him is the path to renewal and joy. I am glad you found the post inspiring.