Loving an Addict & Living With GriefSample

You had dreams—about your marriage, your family, your future. You pictured a life of connection, trust, and shared joy. But addiction has a way of unraveling even the most beautiful hopes, leaving behind pieces that feel too painful to pick up.

It’s okay to mourn what could have been. It’s okay to grieve the life you imagined. That grief doesn’t mean you’re weak or that you’ve lost faith. It simply means you’re human and that your heart deeply loved. God is not disappointed in your sorrow. In fact, His Word reminds us that He draws especially near to those who mourn (Matthew 5:4, Psalm 34:18).

I never thought I’d raise four kids in a home touched by addiction. I never thought I’d be filing for divorce after two decades of believing in and hoping for change. The hardest part has been grieving the life I pictured, but God is showing me that what He rebuilds can be even more beautiful.

You don’t have to rush through the grief. You don’t have to hide it. Bring it to God—every tear, every unspoken question, every shattered dream. He can handle it, and He longs to heal the hurt.

David mourned deeply after the loss of his newborn son, born out of a broken situation (2 Samuel 12). He fasted, wept, and prayed, but after the child died, David worshiped. His grief didn’t make him faithless—it made him human.

Take a moment to reflect:

What stages or feelings of grief do you struggle with the most? Why?

Is it denial, anger, sadness, guilt, or acceptance? Be honest with yourself and with God. Healing begins in the places where we let Him in

Prayer:

Lord, I miss the life I thought I’d have. Heal the wounds left by broken dreams and help me trust that You still have good plans for my future.