Everyone views God in a different light. For some, God the Father provides the most comfort and guidance with His all-knowing wisdom and constant guiding hand. For others, Jesus Christ and His deep compassion and connection to humanity make Him most approachable. And then there are those who prefer speaking with the calm and gentle voice of the Holy Spirit. The Catholic faith is beautiful in that, while we only worship one true God, there are three Persons we can interact with, and each may speak to us in different ways. These three Persons all have unique attributes and it’s from these attributes of God that we can derive comfort, support and guidance. Keep reading to learn more about how understanding God’s attributes can help you progress along your grief journey.

God is Omnipresent and Omniscient

It’s common to feel isolated and alone in your grief. Grief is specific to the individual, which makes the pain hard to talk about with others. Despite how alone you may feel at times, remember that God is always with you. He is all-present and all-knowing. He knows the thoughts, sorrows, and desires of your heart intimately. When you feel most alone, take comfort in knowing the Heavenly Father knows exactly how you feel, and will never leave you or forsake you.

You will seek me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29:13

God is Kind

Losing a loved one can feel like a betrayal. God places family and friends in our lives and then seems to take them away just as easily. It’s common to become upset and angry with God about our losses, but scripture tells us that God is not of ill-intent. He treats all of His children with kindness and everything He does is for the greater good of our salvation. Remembering this in times of great hardship is key to discovering blessings within the depths of deep despair. God does nothing to cause us pain. Rather, He allows trials in our lives to make us stronger and help us grow closer to Him.

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness. – Psalm 103:8  

God is Merciful

Part of the struggle of grieving is not knowing the fate of loved ones. There’s no way we can know exactly what follows death. While scripture and Catholic teaching can give us some idea, this uncertainty can augment our grief even more. While this may be frustrating, one thing we know for certain is that God is merciful. He brings each and every one of us into this world and He is there to guide us into His heavenly kingdom. He owes us nothing, but through His never-ending mercy we are all saved. Recognize that, no matter how spiritual or devoted your loved one was or wasn’t, they are resting in God’s eternal and merciful care.

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing and rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit. – Titus 3:5  

God is Loving

The people we hold closest to us are often the same ones who provide us with the most love and support in our life.  Therefore, when a loved one passes from this world, it’s common to feel an absence of love and comfort in your life. While it may be true that earthly love may diminish, heavenly love is eternal. The love you share with your departed family members and friends is never-ending. Even through death, you can share that special connection with them. Even more so, God holds unique and passionate love with each and every one of us. His love is unlike anything else in this world. In times when you feel most lonely, remember that God loves you always.

His love and faithfulness will last forever. – Psalm 100:5

God is perfect

Death does not discriminate. It does not follow any rules. It often isn’t fair and comes at inopportune times. Death is a confusing and unpredictable occurrence here on Earth, which makes it not only scary, but extremely frustrating and disheartening. While we may never fully understand death, we do understand that God and His plan are perfect. We will never be able to predict death or comprehend when or why it happens. We’re not supposed to. Instead, we should be focused on trusting in God’s plan for us. Calling to mind the traits He possesses—being all present, kind, merciful, loving, and perfect —it’s clear His plan is what’s best for us and our eternal salvation.

The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without justice, Righteous and upright is He. – Deuteronomy 32:4

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Post written by Katie Karpinski