For many parents, the death of a child is the most difficult thing they have to face. The pain and grief can be overwhelming. They may wonder why this happened and if there is anything they could have done to prevent it. The thought that they can never see their child again hurts like no other.

In their sorrow, some will find it difficult to believe in God. They may feel that He has abandoned them or that He is not fair. However, these thoughts only lead to even greater suffering. Without the light of God in the darkness, the pain will only swallow their hearts and it would be hard to move on with their lives after the tragedy. 

Instead of turning away from God, hold on to Him. We may not always understand why things happen the way they do, but we can trust that the Lord knows what He’s doing.  He can help us make sense of our loss and find strength to carry on. He is with us in our misery and will see us through to the other side. Let the scripture remind you that there is always hope in the Lord.

Matthew 19:14 NIV

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Matthew 5:4 NIV

Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

1 Samuel 1:27-28 NIV

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Matthew 18:14 NIV

In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Luke 20:36 NIV

And they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.

Isaiah 57:1-2 NIV

The righteous perish,
    and no one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away,
    and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
    to be spared from evil.
Those who walk uprightly
    enter into peace;
    they find rest as they lie in death.

Revelation 21:4 NIV

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

1 Corinthians 15:22 NIV

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-16 NIV

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, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.