Day 1: When Loss Shakes Everything

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

—Isaiah 43:2 ESV

Loss changes everything. I know this from personal experience. When our family faced the unimaginable, it felt like we had stepped into a fire we couldn’t escape. Everything was scorched—our peace, our plans, and the way we saw the world.

But in the aftermath, when nothing felt steady, God was still with us.

Isaiah 43:2 assures us that when suffering comes, we won’t face it alone. God doesn’t promise to keep us from the fire—but He promises the fire won’t consume us. His presence walks with us through it.

Grief has a way of making God feel far off. After the sudden death of my teenage son, Shiloh, I found myself plunged into a grief I didn’t know how to navigate. But even then, God never left. He has never been closer than in the moments I couldn’t hold myself together.

• When I had no words, He was the Word.
• When my strength ran out, He became my breath.
• And when I didn’t know how to move forward, He simply stood with me in the middle of it all.

You might be in that place right now—walking through something so painful it feels hard to breathe. You don’t have to pretend it’s okay. God welcomes your tears. The fire may be real, but so is His presence.

Reflect

What grief or loss are you carrying today? Invite God to meet you in that exact place—not after you’ve figured it out, but right here, in the middle of where you are now.

Pray

God, I don’t need all the answers—I just need You. Thank You for staying with me through the fire. Help me recognize Your presence right now, in my pain. I trust You will carry me. Amen.

The story behind this devotional

Hear Summers tell the heartfelt story of her son Shiloh and the deep faith that has carried her since his passing. Watch here