Heartfelt Funeral Prayers
to comfort those who grieve.
~
This page has
prayers
and
tips for
what to say to those who grieve.
Click below for
Practical ideas to help the hurting
We also have another Funeral Prayer page
Prayer for
Grieving Spouses
and
Prayer for the Death of a Marine
Dear God,
You are our Creator. You are the author of life.
Life is a precious gift.
We come today to commemorate and honor a life that is precious to us.
As we mourn this life that is no longer with us, we are aching from a void that has been created in our heart.
We lift up our sadness and grief to you.
Lord, we ask that you would comfort us in our pain, and bring us an abundance of your gentle healing mercies.
In Jesus name we pray,
Amen
Copyright © 2013 Beth McLendon of Inspirational-Prayers.com
Prayer
The following is a prayer taken from a recent funeral.
I do not know the author of the following words.
Dear Lord,
We come today to honor our loved one.
We are gathered here today - not only to grieve the loss of ____________ but to also give thanks to you for his life among us.
We are gathered here today - not only to mourn over how different our lives will be without him, but to give thanks to you for how full life was when he was with us.
We have gathered here today - not only to consider the shortness and uncertainty of life on earth, but to give thanks to you for the gift of life and the gift of family and the gift of friendships.
Lord, we ask that you would comfort us this day as we come together to share love and sweet memories with one another.
In Jesus' name we pray,
Amen
Funerals are a time to comfort and be comforted.
Those in attendance are mourning,
and some are dealing with extreme grief.
The ones most affected by the death are feeling
overwhelmed, lonely, and afraid.
Many fear
living life without their loved one.
Scroll down
to see a new section with
practical things to do.
In addition to funeral prayers, we want to give you other ways of comforting the family.
What should I say to the family?
When Extending Comfort:
Be hesitant about saying such things as
God took them, God needed them,
God wanted them with him,
or
it was that person's time to go.
Those statements may not agree with the grieving person's beliefs.
Many Christians believe that when someone dies "early," it was not God's will, but it was the enemy of our soul who is to blame.
In the deep depths of pain after a death,
a Christian may
have to wrestle with God about the reasons
surrounding
the death of his or her loved one.
But there is no need
to cause
any unnecessary pain
by saying something
that might disagree
with the person's beliefs and
make that person feel even more alone.
All of us have our own personal way of looking at death.
To truly comfort, it is generally best to say only a few words, while making the strength of your presence and the availability of your presence known to those who are in deep grief.
Words that Comfort
The Words I like to hear the most after a death are:
"I know you are hurting."
The family can hurt for a long time after the death. I try to send a card weeks after the death instead of right after the death.
Everyone reaches out right after the death, but most people stop comforting the family within a couple of weeks. When a friend reaches out in a month or two by sending a card, that can be a great blessing.
Consider buying a card, labeling it, putting a stamp on it, and setting it where you will see it in a month in order to mail it at that time. You might even want to tuck a short note inside the card to share a treasured memory of the loved one. You might begin it with the words, "I remember when...."
Words that will probably
bless
someone who is grieving:
"Words are inadequate to express the sadness I feel. I am praying for you."
"My prayers are with you."
"Our hearts go out to you in your time of sorrow."
"Please accept my heartfelt sympathy."
"We cannot begin to know your pain, but we want you to remember that we love you."
"Your loved one made a real difference in my life. I will never forget him/her."
"(Name of deceased) was a great man/woman. He/she will be missed by so many."
Important Note:
If the loved one was a Veteran of the United States
Remind the Family
a few days after the funeral
to
be sure and fill out the
Application for Veterans Burial Benefits.
http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21P-530-ARE.pdf
The purpose of this funeral prayers page
is to
draw us closer to one another and closer to God
during the
difficult time
of grieving the death of a loved one.
We pray it has been a blessing to you.
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This page contains prayer for funeral and ideas for comforting the family.
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