What If You’re Not Sure They Knew God?

Few things weigh heavier on people than losing someone they loved and not knowing where that person stood with God.

In this episode of FaithFuel with Bob Shaw, Bob talks about grief, uncertainty, regret, and the difficult questions people sometimes carry after losing someone close to them.

Using Genesis 18:25 and Psalm 34:18, this devotional reminds listeners that while salvation matters deeply, only God fully knows a person’s heart.

This episode encourages believers not to carry guilt and responsibility they were never meant to carry alone, while learning to trust God’s justice, mercy, wisdom, and goodness even in painful uncertainty.

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Transcript

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Few things weigh heavier on people than losing someone you loved and not knowing where they stood with God. I'm Bob Shaw, and this is Faith Fuel. Losing someone you love is already painful enough. But when you're not sure where that person stood with God, the grief can become even heavier. You start replaying things in your mind, conversations you had, things you wish you would have said, signs you might have missed. Did they truly know God? Did they ever believe? Did I do enough? Those thoughts can stay with people for a long time. Genesis 18, verse 25. Should not the judge of all the earth do what is right? The Bible is absolutely clear that salvation matters deeply. But human beings are not the final judge of someone's heart. God sees what we can't see. There may have been conversations nobody else heard, thoughts nobody else knew, or prayers nobody else witnessed. And ultimately, only God fully knows the condition of a person's soul. And I know that doesn't erase the grief or the uncertainty. But it does remind us of something important. God is perfectly just, perfectly loving, perfectly trustworthy. It's really easy to replay everything afterward. The conversations, missed opportunities, things you wish you would have said differently, and you can start carrying guilt and responsibility that were never meant to belong entirely to you. You also have to remember something. Every person is responsible for their own response to God. You can love people, pray for them, share truth with them, but you can't force somebody to believe. That part ultimately belongs between them and God. Psalm 34 verse 18. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. And maybe that's especially important for people carrying grief mixed with uncertainty. Faith sometimes means trusting God even when we don't have every answer we wish we had. And while our understanding is limited, God's wisdom, mercy, justice, and knowledge are not. Father, you know the pain and grief people carry after losing someone they love. Bring comfort to those struggling with uncertainty, regret, fear, or unanswered questions. Help us trust your goodness, your justice, and your mercy, even when we don't fully understand everything. And remind us that you're close to the broken-hearted and faithful in every situation. In Jesus' name, Amen. If this episode connected with something personal in your life, take some time with God today. He's big enough to handle grief or questions or fear, uncertainty. And if you'd like more encouragement like this, the Faith Fuel Library covers everything from suffering and doubt to forgiveness, spiritual growth, relationships, and difficult Bible questions. I'm Bob Shaw. Peace and joy.