How can you find hope when grieving the loss of someone you love? Does trusting God mean you shouldn't feel sorrow?
In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explores Paul's comforting words in 1 Thessalonians 4, reminding believers that we do not grieve like those who have no hope.
The Bible never tells us not to mourn. Separation is painful, and grief is natural. But because Jesus Christ conquered death, believers can face loss with the assurance that the grave is not the end.
Discover how the resurrection of Jesus transforms our understanding of death, brings comfort in times of sorrow, and gives us confidence in the promise of everlasting life.
Prayer: Lord, help me to mourn with those who mourn and to share the hope of Christ with the hurting. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, . . .” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14a).
*Excerpt adapted from Fearless Living in Troubled Times by Michael A. Youssef © 2017. Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR. Used by permission.
Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Until Christ Returns, The Glory of Christ’s Return: LISTEN NOW
The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.
🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care
💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com
If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.
❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate
[00:00:00] This is Dr. Michael Youssef, and you are listening to today's My Devotional from Leading The Way, Uncompromising Truth for Everyday Faith. The 26th of October, 2026 Should Christians Grieve?
[00:00:20] Death is a frightening and mysterious subject. So Paul wants the Thessalonians and us to have reliable knowledge about what happens to believers when they die. Nowhere does the Bible say that believers should not grieve. Nowhere does the Bible say that we should not shed tears over the loss of a loved one.
[00:00:44] Nowhere does the Bible say that we do not feel sorrow and a sense of emptiness when a loved one passes away. But we do not grieve like those who have no hope. When an unbeliever dies, his or her loved ones have nothing left but memories. But when a believing loved one dies, we have hope for the future because we believe in the resurrection and an everlasting life.
[00:01:10] The grief and sorrow we feel is temporary. We are saying goodbye until we meet again. We are not saying goodbye forever. We grieve because even a temporary separation is painful. We miss our children when they go off to college. We miss our parents when they retire and move to another state. It's only natural that we should miss our believing loved ones when they are promoted to eternal life in heaven.
[00:01:38] We know we will see them again, but in the meantime, we grieve. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul shows sympathy and understanding for the bereavement we all feel when we lose a loved one. He does not rebuke them for their sadness or shock. He does not minimize their loss and pain. The time of loss is a time to look back on the past, look forward to the future reunion in heaven,
[00:02:06] and look inward, reminding ourselves of our own mortality. When we stand at the graveside of someone who has died, our false sense of security, our false assumption that life will always go on and never stop, falls away. We are faced with the reality of death, and we should remember that there is a grave waiting for us as well. But we need not be morbid about it. The grave is not the end of the story.
[00:02:34] We believe in the empty tomb of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we have absolute confidence that our bodies will one day be raised like His. Pray with me. Precious Lord, help me to mourn with those who mourn, and to share the hope of Christ with the hurting. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.