Can I tell you a secret? Finding faith after loss changes you. Not just in the cliché way everyone talks about. It's the kind of change that shifts the ground under your feet for a while. But here's the thing. This is not where your story ends.
I remember sitting on the edge of my bed after the deepest heartbreak of my life, wondering how I was going to pick up the pieces. I thought I was strong. I thought I had control. I had my plans. But grief came in like a storm anyway, and I was left sitting in the quiet, looking for something solid. Sound familiar?
What Does Finding God in Hard Times Really Look Like?
Maybe you're asking questions I asked too. How do you find faith after loss when the pain keeps knocking the wind out of you? What do you do in the haze, when you can't see God anywhere at all?
Let me tell you what helped me and so many others I’ve talked to (like my friend Shayna, who shared her story on our recent podcast episode). It's rarely one big lightning bolt moment. It’s more like small breadcrumbs—tiny glimpses of hope or kindness, a gentle nudge from someone, a calmly whispered prayer over a cup of coffee. Finding faith after loss is about showing up in the mess and letting God meet you right there.
Letting Go of the Need to Have It All Together
We live in a world full of "be strong," "stay busy," or "move on" messages, but building Christian community support during adversity brings hope. But sometimes you just need to sit in the silence for a moment and admit you're lost. That's where I found faith after loss—right in that admitted weakness. God isn't waiting for us to tidy up before He comes close. He sits with us in the mess. The real shift happened for Shayna and so many like her when she allowed that grace to hold her, instead of her own strength.
Why Small Steps Matter When You Are Finding Faith After Loss
Finding faith after loss is not about flipping a switch, but about growing spiritually and embracing suffering. It is about stacking up the small, almost invisible wins. I remember one day writing a thank you note to a friend who had sent over a meal. Just that simple act slowed my mind, gave me a few seconds of gratitude, and reminded me that God was still moving—right there in my kitchen.
- Pick one thing to say thank you for every day
- Reach out to one person, even if you just say "I see you"
- Let yourself pray the honest, messy prayers—"God, please" is enough
You do not have to have long, polished prayers for God to hear you. I still whisper incomplete sentences when I don't know what to say. I think God loves those the most.
How Community Holds Us Up When Faith Feels Fragile
One thing I've learned is that finding faith after loss rarely happens in isolation. Sometimes it starts with just showing up where other people are. Shayna shared that for her family, it began with going to church—not because she felt super spiritual, but because her husband wanted to find friends. Turns out, God uses that too. He designed us for community, for little moments of connection that remind us we’re never actually alone.
The Power of Honest Conversation
A friend once asked Shayna how she was coping. Her answer? Conversation. Not hiding from the pain, but letting someone in to sit with it alongside her. We don’t realize how much healing happens when we name our grief out loud. Even Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4 CSB). Sometimes comfort comes as a friend listening, or in the gentle prayers of someone who’s been there too.
Practical Ways to Start Finding Faith After Loss
Here’s what helps when you’re stuck in the debris. These aren’t complicated or fancy. They do not look sparkly on Instagram. But they bring peace. And they let God meet you right where you are.
- Write one kind thought about yourself each day. It can be as simple as “I made it through today.”
- Jot down three things—even small ones—you see God doing or providing (a kind look from your child, a sunrise, or just quiet rest)
- Reach for Scripture, even if you can only handle one verse. One that always pulls me back is, “Give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 CSB). Not thanks for the loss, but thanks within it—big difference.
- Let others in. Email a friend, comment on a post, or show up (even if you just sit in the back) at that coffee group or Bible study.
And let me add this—don’t feel guilty if none of these feel natural at first. Sometimes it takes a while for the heart to thaw. God is not in a rush. He is never out of patience.
Gratitude and Faith: Building a New Foundation
As I listened to Shayna talk about gratitude in our podcast episode, I remembered how those old thank you cards my mom made me write as a kid actually softened me during adult heartbreak. You might think gratitude is just a small exercise, but it actually builds a foundation brick by brick. When the wind of grief blows through, those layers of thanks hold us steady. Finding faith after loss feels like stacking these moments—a child's laugh, a sunrise, an unexpected text from an old friend.
Is It Okay to Feel All the Things?
If you're wondering if it's okay to be grateful and still heartbroken, the answer is yes. You can thank God for His presence and tell Him your life is messy right now. That’s part of building real faith. We don’t have to fake it here. That’s not what Christ invites us to do. Sometimes the most honest prayer sounds like, “Lord, thank you for holding me together when I can’t do it.”
What to Do When You Don’t Feel God’s Presence At All
I know some of you might be reading this and thinking, I don’t feel God anywhere. Can I tell you something? Even when you can’t see Him, He is working quietly. Like Shayna said in our chat, grace leaves breadcrumbs. Sometimes a small phrase will pop into your mind. Sometimes you find a kindness waiting for you on your hardest day. Sometimes faith is just taking one more breath and not giving up.
Finding faith after loss looks different for everyone, but God is patient with us as we relearn how to trust. And He sends little reminders: a Scripture from a friend, a card in the mail, a song on the radio. You never know how God might nudge you back to hope.
Is There a “Right Way” to Heal and Find Faith?
Let me just say as clearly as I can: there is no perfect path here. There is no timeline. There is no finish line you’re supposed to cross by a certain month. Healing goes in loops, not straight lines. Some days you feel strong. Some days, not at all. Both are okay. And God is close in all of it.
Can I offer a writing prompt that helped us in our conversation, and has helped me too? Ask yourself, “What kind or loving words can I say to myself today?” Even if it’s just one gentle reminder. That’s enough to help you take the next step forward in finding faith after loss.
Finding Faith After Loss Unites Us as a Community
I’m convinced our community is strongest when we share our stories and reach for each other. You are not a burden. Your mess does not disqualify you. If anything, it’s proof you are right on time for God to do something new. Let’s keep showing up for one another, sharing our breadcrumbs, and saying “me too” in both the pain and the hope. That’s how we put perspectives into practice, together.
If you want more conversation around finding faith after loss, or you want to hear Shayna’s full story (and trust me, it’s one you’ll want to hear on a day when you need hope), make sure you listen to our latest podcast episode. These are real women, real stories, and real faith that grows in the everyday stuff of life.
Remember, every story matters. Yours, too. Even the broken pieces. Especially the broken pieces. God is faithful in every single one. Let’s keep watching for the breadcrumbs of grace—because sometimes, that’s right where we find new faith.
