How To Encourage Someone Who is Sad

Sadness can show up quietly or come on like a flood. It doesn’t always announce itself with a reason. For some, it lingers. For others, it hits hard and then fades. But no matter how it shows up, sadness is real, and as followers of Jesus, we’re called to come alongside one another in those moments.  It’s a sacred privilege to help someone in their journey of pain.

Acts 20:2 (NKJV) “Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece”

God wants to use you in helping those around you with solid encouragement from the Lord.

Here are a few important things to consider:

1. Start with Concern, Not Solutions

Before you say anything, pause. Remind yourself that encouragement starts with presence, not advice. When someone’s sad, what they often need most is to know that someone sees them and cares.

Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” That’s not a call to fix everything. It’s a call to care. To show up and enter into what the other person is experiencing, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Let them talk. Or let them be silent. Let your presence remind them that they’re not alone. A kind word. A thoughtful question. A willingness to listen. These things go farther than most of us realize.

You may feel unsure of what to say, and that’s okay. Sometimes all that’s needed is a quiet, “I’m here,” or “You’re not walking through this by yourself.”

2. Remind Them Of God’s Faithfulness

When people are weighed down, they can start to forget what they already know. That God is near. That He listens. He doesn’t turn away from broken hearts.

Psalm 34:17-18 says, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.”

We don’t always need to share a verse. Sometimes it’s simply reminding someone that God invites them to call out to Him. You might say, “You can talk to Him about this,” or, “He’s not distant from what you’re feeling.”

Offer to pray with them. Not in a polished or scripted way. Just bring it to God together. Something like, “Lord, You see the heaviness here. We’re asking You to meet us in it.” Prayer doesn’t need to be long to be powerful.

And if they don’t feel ready to pray, that’s okay too. You can pray for them on your own. The point is: they need to be reminded that God welcomes their call.

3. Offer Comfort Without Pressure

People need comfort, not pressure. Sadness can’t be scheduled to be on or off. Some days feel okay, others don’t. Our role isn’t to speed up someone’s process; it’s to walk with them as they go through it.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 calls God “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble.” That means the comfort you’ve received can be passed on.

You’ve had hard days too. Don’t be afraid to share that. Not to shift the focus to yourself, but to remind them that sadness isn’t foreign to the Christian life. Even Jesus was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).

If you’re unsure what comfort looks like in practice, keep it simple. Drop off a meal. Send a thoughtful text. Invite them to take a short walk or sit for coffee. Small, steady acts of love speak volumes.

4. Keep Showing Up

Encouragement isn’t just a one-time word. It’s a flow of care and love. Sadness can isolate people, and sometimes the most challenging part is after everyone else has moved on.

Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” The word “bear” implies effort. This kind of encouragement requires follow-through.

Check in. Follow up. Ask how they’re really doing a week or two later. Keep praying for them even when the initial conversation is over. Let them know they aren’t forgotten.

Yes, you don’t have all the answers, but listen, you don’t need all the answers. You need a heart that reflects God’s. His care is patient. His comfort is steady. His presence doesn’t disappear when things are complicated and challenging.

If someone in your life is feeling sad, your encouragement could be part of how God strengthens them. You don’t have to do it perfectly. You need to care. Remind them they can call on the Lord. Bring comfort without rushing them. And keep showing up.

Jesus hasn’t left them. And He hasn’t left you, either. He’s the source of the care we give, the one we call on, and the comfort we share.