Question:
Would you have any words to share with grandparents who lost a grandchild?
They already have 2 young adult grandsons, but this was their younger child’s first child. One day they felt movement, but the next day at the doctor’s appointment, there was no heartbeat.
They are all heartbroken, of course. They are also all Christ-followers.
Response:
The unexpected death of a baby is such a tragic event. The loss is complicated by the fact that for weeks and months after the loss, people who don’t know what happened begin their conversations with excitement, asking for pictures of the baby, dropping off gifts, etc.
This leaves parents, grandparents, and other family members having to feel the pain over and over.
The best thing you can do as a friend is to be with them and listen to them as they grieve. While there is a tendency to want to be able to say something to ease their pain of loss, your presence will be more healing than words.
In fact, often people coping with a current loss feel as if their feelings have been discounted if someone shares Scripture or prays over them.
If you do feel the Holy Spirit nudging you to pray or share Scripture or an encouraging story, ask your friends if that would be helpful. If so, share briefly. If not, respect their wishes.
Also, recognize that it takes a lot of time to process the death of a family member so your willingness to walk through that process will allow you to be the hands and feet of Jesus in their lives.
