When Loss Steals Your Words: Helping Children Process Grief Through God’s Love

When Loss Steals Your Words: Helping Children Process Grief Through God’s Love

Some hurts run so deep, they take your voice with them.

😶 The Silence and the Swirl of Emotions

When I was a child, I learned that loss has a way of making the world feel both too quiet and too loud all at once. The silence and grief felt heavy, but the swirl of emotions inside me was anything but still.

I didn’t know how to explain the way my stomach knotted at different times or why certain moments made my heart hurt so badly. I just knew something deep had changed with the loss of my daddy—and I couldn’t put it into words.

💔 Recognizing Unspoken Grief in Children

Maybe you’ve seen that look in a child’s eyes.
Maybe you’ve watched them grow quiet when the conversation turns to the loss of a loved one.
Or maybe you are that grown-up now, remembering a time when you wished someone could understand what you couldn’t say out loud.

The beautiful truth is—God already understands.

❤️‍🩹 God Understands the Words We Can’t Say

“Before a word is on my tongue You, LORD, know it completely.” – Psalm 139:4

Even when we can’t find the words, our Heavenly Father hears the cry of our hearts. He sees the tears we try to hide. He knows the ache we can’t explain, and He draws close, not just to comfort, but to carry us. The thought of Him collecting each of my tears is a picture that shows me His deep, weeping heart, because He truly cares and understands. God sent His Son to die for us. Jesus took our sins to the cross so we wouldn't have to.

🥺 How to Help a Child Through Loss

If you know a child walking through grief, remember:

• They don’t need perfect words.

• They need your presence.

• They need a safe lap to curl up in.

• They need an invitation to pray, even if all they can manage is a whisper.

• Most of all, they need to know that God’s love isn’t going anywhere.

Grief may steal our words, but it can’t silence God’s promises.

🙏 If you’d like to read more about helping children (and yes, adults) process grief and find hope in Jesus, my summer/fall blog series is for you. You can follow along here: https://marygracejohnsonauthor.com/blog