Songs of Hope

"Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge."
Psalm 62:8 (NIV)

Songs can help us pour out our heart and grief to God. At times, we may feel such shock from a loss that it can make us feel almost speechless. The songs below helped me after my youngest child died unexpectedly. Many of the lyrics articulated my questions and my emotions, and yet gave me hope that God was still faithful in the midst of it all.

Not for a Moment by Meredith Andrews

Sometimes when we’re experiencing intense suffering, it is difficult to see clearly or feel God’s presence. This song reminds us that even in those dark moments, God has not left us. The songwriter, Meredith Andrews, had written the song before her relative’s 40-week baby’s heart stopped beating as they were going to see her at the hospital. She shares how God used the song to minister to her own family afterwards here.

Eye of the Storm by Ryan Stevenson

A friend thoughtfully texted me this song early one morning after our baby died. It comforts me to know God still loves us and is still sovereign over the difficulties in our lives. Ryan Stevenson shares how this song came from a period of intense loss in his own life, such as when he and his wife grieved the loss of their twins through miscarriage here.

You’re Not Finished Yet by The Belonging Co.

When I heard this song on my first Mother’s Day without my baby at a church event for grieving moms, I couldn’t stop shedding tears. The song reminded me of how God was working in my own heart, but also in the lives of the different people that Samuel’s short life had touched. I thought of many people who rarely would set foot in a church worship service, yet willingly gave up their Saturday to assist and come to our baby’s memorial service, which gave us the opportunity to share the eternal hope of Christ.

See by Steven Curtis Chapman

We chose to play this song during the slideshow video for our son’s memorial service. Even now, it still brings tears to my eyes when I hear the first notes of this song. The singer and songwriter, Steven Curtis Chapman, had a daughter who died at a young age in a tragic accident. The last word his daughter wrote on a drawing was “SEE” that formed the basis of this song. The lyrics acknowledge the pain of only seeing sorrow and the questions that surround grief, but look beyond to seeing our child’s life in heaven as much better than here on earth. The song gives hope to believers being reunited with their children in the future, as is written:

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

Revelation 21:4 (NIV)

Always by JJ Heller

J J Heller wrote this poem for mothers who had experienced a miscarriage and then turned it into a touching song. I first heard this when Belle Donne, an event for grieving mothers, was held online due to COVID-19. There are more stories from Belle Donne at the link here. You may want to gather some other moms to watch it with you. It is a great springboard for discussion about grief and loss and informative for those who may want to understand better those who have lost a loved one.

Blessings by Laura Story 

My cousin’s daughter sang this song beautifully at our baby’s memorial service. The song contains honest cries out to God in the midst of pain. It is a good reminder that heaven is our real home and that God can use trials to draw us closer to Him. Laura Story shares how during a difficult time in her life she expanded her view of what a blessing meant here. She experienced how God could use her waiting in the valleys and turn it into a blessing.

God’s Not Done With You by Tauren Wells

This song often encouraged me when all I could see were shattered dreams of a life without my baby. Yet God has a greater plan for using our pain for good that sometimes we cannot see immediately. We may feel like we failed, but God has not given up on us yet.

Rescue by Lauren Daigle

A friend gave us a CD of Lauren Daigle’s Look Up Child shortly after our baby died. I played it constantly, as the poetic songs spoke to my broken heart. The song is a beautiful image of God initiating a relationship with us and searching for us even in the midst of our brokenness. God hears our cries for help.

Look Up Child by Lauren Daigle

Although this song has an upbeat rhythm, sometimes I found that was exactly what I needed some days on my grief journey; a song to perk me up and encourage me that God is still in control even in the storms in my life. 

Raise a Hallelujah by Bethel Music

Although the title of this song seems like the opposite of what one might be feeling after a significant loss, the chorus below reminds us of the hope that Jesus Christ is victorious over death:

“I’m gonna sing in the middle of the storm . . .
Up from the ashes, hope will arise.
Death is defeated, the King is alive.”

It is Well by Horatio Spafford 

This is a well-known hymn that was written during a time when Horatio Spafford received the tragic news that his four children had died at sea.

Blessed Be the Name by Matt Redman

“Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name”

This song continues to be a favorite of mine throughout my life in seasons of grief and loss, whether I was facing infertility, illness, or loss. The words in the bridge, “you give and take away”  remind me of Job 1:21, where Job said:

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised

Job 1:21 (NIV)

Heavenly Home by Stream of Praise Kids 

This children’s song, sung in Chinese with English subtitles, sweetly reminds us of our true home and hope in heaven.