From Grief to Revival: How the Lord Turns Our Mourning into Hope

Every one of us walks through seasons of grief. Sometimes it comes suddenly, like the loss of a loved one, the collapse of a dream, or the breaking apart of something we thought would stand forever. Other times, grief settles over us gradually, through the slow erosion of hope, the growing weight of discouragement, or the heaviness of living in a broken and sinful world.

But Scripture assures us that the God who created us is not distant from our grief. He sees it. He feels it with us. He promises to meet us in it. The psalmist declares in Psalm 147:3:

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”  (Psalm 147:3)

What a tender picture of the Lord’s heart toward us. He doesn’t ignore our wounds. He doesn’t shame us for them. Instead, He draws near to bind them up, like a loving physician who refuses to abandon His patient.

Yet the story doesn’t end there. The same Lord who heals our broken hearts is also the Lord who revives us. Psalm 85:6 pleads:

“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”  (Psalm 85:6)

This is the cry of a people who know that only God can breathe life where there has been death, joy where there has been sorrow, and hope where there has been despair.

And so, today, I want to invite us to see how the Lord can use our personal and collective grief as the soil out of which He brings revival.  Revival in our hearts, revival in our homes, revival in our churches, and revival in our nation.

1. Grief Is Real, and God Sees It

Grief is not a sign of weakness. It is a normal and often necessary response to loss. Even Jesus Himself wept at the tomb of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35). He didn’t chastise Mary and Martha for mourning. Instead, He entered into their grief with them.

Psalm 147:3 tells us plainly that God “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” The word brokenhearted captures the picture of a spirit crushed by sorrow. The word wounds points not only to physical pain but to emotional and spiritual injuries.

When we experience grief, whether on a personal level or on a national level, we are tempted to ask: Does God even care? The answer is a resounding yes.

• He saw the tears of Hagar in the wilderness.
• He heard the groaning of Israel in slavery.
• He comforted Elijah when he felt alone and ready to give up.

And He sees you. He hears your cries when you’re alone. He knows the silent prayers you can’t even put into words. He draws near to bind up the wounds that no one else can reach.

But God’s healing work in our grief isn’t meant merely to help us survive. It is meant to prepare us for renewal. He heals us so that He can revive us.

2. Grief Prepares the Soil for Revival

Think about a farmer who tills the ground. He breaks up the hardened soil so that it will be ready to receive seed and produce fruit. In the same way, grief often breaks up the hard soil of our hearts.

When life feels comfortable and easy, we’re often tempted to drift into complacency. We may ignore God, indulge in sin, or take His blessings for granted. But when grief comes, our illusions of control are shattered. We’re forced to face the fragility of life and the depth of our need for God.

That’s why times of mourning can be the very moments when revival begins. Grief softens us. It humbles us. It opens us to cry out like the psalmist in Psalm 85:6:

“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”

Notice that revival is not just about spiritual excitement or emotional renewal. It is about God reviving His people so that they may rejoice in Him. Grief empties us of lesser joys so that we might hunger again for the joy that only He can provide.

3. Revival Begins with Repentance

If we desire to see our season of grief turn into a season of revival, we must understand that revival always begins with repentance.

Our personal grief may come from many sources like loss, disappointment, or suffering, but much of our national grief flows from sin. We live in a culture where violence is normalized, immorality is celebrated, greed is excused, and God’s Word is mocked.

We can’t expect healing and hope without first returning to the Lord.

Revival is not just about God comforting us in our grief, it’s about God confronting us in our sin. It is about falling on our knees in confession, turning from rebellion, and running back into His arms of mercy.

When Jonah preached to the city of Nineveh, they responded with fasting, sackcloth, and genuine repentance. And what happened? God relented from bringing disaster. Their season of impending grief turned into a season of mercy and renewal.

Our nation needs that same spirit of repentance today!

4. Jesus Is the Source of Healing and Hope

We must remember that the ultimate healing for our grief and the ultimate source of revival is found in Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 53:4-5 tells us:

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”  (Isaiah 53:4-5)

At the cross, Jesus took upon Himself both our grief and our sin. He entered fully into our sorrow, carrying the burden we could not carry. And through His death and resurrection, He not only forgave our sin but also secured our eternal hope.

Because Jesus rose, we know grief will not have the final word. Because Jesus lives, revival is always possible. Because Jesus reigns, there is hope for our broken hearts and for our broken nation.

5. Revival Is for the Rejoicing of God’s People

Psalm 85:6 gives us a beautiful goal for revival: that God’s people “may rejoice in you.”

Revival isn’t primarily about better programs, bigger crowds, or louder enthusiasm. It’s about the people of God rediscovering their joy in God Himself.

When revival comes:

• Worship becomes heartfelt, not routine.
• Prayer becomes passionate, not dull and obligatory.
• Scripture becomes our delight, not just our duty.
• Fellowship becomes authentic, not shallow.
• Witness becomes bold, not fearful.

And joy returns.  I’m talking about deep, abiding joy that shines even through tears. The joy of knowing that our sins are forgiven, our Savior is alive, and our future is secure.

That kind of joy cannot be manufactured. It can only be given by the Spirit of God as He revives His people.

6. How to Seek Revival in a Season of Grief

So how can we, both individually and as a nation, turn our season of grieving into a season of revival? Here are some practical steps:

a. Cry Out Honestly to God

Bring your grief to Him. Pour out your heart in prayer. The psalms are filled with raw cries of lament. God is not offended by your honesty. He invites it.

b. Repent Genuinely of Sin

Ask the Spirit to search your heart. Confess whatever He reveals. Turn from sin and turn toward Christ. Remember, revival always begins with repentance.

c. Intercede Fervently for Others

Pray, not only for your own renewal but for your family, your church, and your nation. Stand in the gap like Moses, who pleaded for Israel, or like Daniel, who confessed the sins of his people.

d. Saturate Yourself in Scripture

God revives His people through His Word. Read it. Meditate on it. Share it. Let His promises and commands shape your heart.

e. Anticipate Boldly What God Can Do

Don’t limit God to what you’ve experienced before. Believe that He can bring revival again. Pray Psalm 85:6 with expectancy: “Will you not revive us again?”

7. A Vision of Hope for Our Nation

We may look at the state of our nation and feel overwhelmed with grief. Division, corruption, immorality, and despair seem to abound. But let us not forget: our God specializes in bringing life from death.

In the days of Ezekiel, God gave the prophet a vision of a valley filled with dry bones. It was a picture of hopelessness. But as Ezekiel prophesied by the power of the Spirit, those bones rattled, came together, and rose into a mighty army (Ezekiel 37).

That is what God can do with a grieving nation that turns back to Him. He can take what’s dead and breathe life into it. He can take what’s broken and restore it. He can take what’s hopeless and fill it with joy.

But it begins with us. Revival is not something we wait for others to start. It begins in our hearts, in our homes, in our churches. And as God revives us, the light of Christ shines through us into the darkness of our nation.

Today…

Friend, if you’re walking through grief today, take comfort: God sees you. He binds up your wounds. But do not stop there. Ask Him to take your grief and turn it into the seed of revival.

And as we look at our nation, let’s not despair. Yes, there is much to grieve. But there is also great hope in the power of the gospel. Let’s repent, return to Jesus, and cry out together:

“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” (Psalm 85:6)

Our God is able. Our God is faithful. Our God can turn our mourning into dancing, our sorrow into joy, and our season of grieving into a season of revival.

© John Stange, 2025