142 | Do Our Pets Matter to God? Faith, Grief and the Comfort of Heaven

Find the full episode here: LivingOnPurposeInChrist.com/blog

Losing a beloved pet can leave your home feeling so quiet and your heart full of tender emotions. If you have ever held your sweet animal close, whispered “I love you,” and then felt the deep ache of goodbye, you are not overreacting and you are not alone. In this episode, I talk honestly about Christian pet loss grief, the hidden guilt many believers carry when their feelings feel bigger than they expected, and the biblical encouragement that reminds us God cares deeply about all of His creation.

I also share something personal: losing my sweet kitty cat Raina. I walk through what helped me in those first tender days, including creating a small memorial space in my garden for remembrance, gratitude, and quiet reflection. We look at what Scripture says in Psalm 36:6 and Matthew 10:29, and we explore what it means to grieve with hope. You will also hear how the New Testament meaning of hope, elpis (ἐλπίς), points us beyond wishful thinking into a confident expectation of God’s future restoration.

Finally, I share how the Aroma Freedom Technique can support grief healing in a Christ-centered way through prayerful reflection, guided questions, and aromatherapy. By thoughtfully using essential oils like lavender or frankincense alongside prayer and devotions, this gentle practice can help calm the nervous system, make space for honest feeling, and support the release of stuck emotional patterns. 

If you are grieving the loss of a pet and feel like your emotions are tender, heavy, or hard to process on your own, an Aroma Freedom Coaching session may be a gentle next step. This is a caring space to bring what is on your heart, release emotional weight, and invite God into your healing journey with peace and intention. If that feels like the support you need right now, visit: PaulaBehrens.com/aft-booking to schedule a time that works for you.

And if this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find hope, healing, and peace.

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Transcript

Welcome And Pet Loss Theme

Paula Behrens 0:00

Welcome to Living on Purpose in Christ, the podcast where we learn how to walk closely with Jesus in the everyday moments of life. Today's episode is a tender one. It's for anyone who's ever held a beloved pet in their arms, whispered, I love you, and then felt the ache of goodbye. Many of us share our homes with animals that become part of our daily rhythm. If you work from home, your cat may curl up under your desk while you answer emails. A dog may quietly nap nearby while you spend time in prayer or Bible study. Our pets greet us at the door, comfort us when we are tired, and somehow seem to sense when we need a little extra love. And when they leave this world, the silence they leave behind can feel surprisingly deep. Today we're going to talk about something that Christians sometimes feel unsure about discussing openly: grieving the loss of a pet. We'll explore what the Bible says about God's love for his creation, why grief over an animal companion is real and valid, and how we can walk through that grief with faith and hope. I'll also share something very personal with you. Recently, I lost my sweet kitty cat Raina. She was a gentle companion in my home, and saying goodbye to her stirred emotions I had not expected to feel so strongly. In this episode, I'll share how God comforted my heart, how creating a special place in my garden helped me process my grief, and how tools like the Aroma Freedom Technique can gently help our minds and emotions heal during seasons of loss. And if today's topic touches something tender in your heart, stay with me until the end of this episode, because I want to share how you can book a coaching session with me where we can gently work through emotional blocks and grief together in a Christ-centered way. Are you finding it challenging to maintain your spiritual practices or yearning for a more peaceful, God-aligned day? I'm Paula, and I've been there too. Balancing spiritual habits with a busy life can be difficult. I longed for a deeper connection with God but struggled with consistency. Then I found the perfect approach. If you seek simple ways to deepen your connection with God, this podcast is for you. Please take a moment to follow the show, leave a review, and share with your friends who need a little biblical encouragement today. Hey friend, I want to personally invite you to check out our faith coaching service. If you've been feeling spiritually dry, this is your opportunity to reignite your love for time with God. It isn't just another program, it's a deeply intentional one-on-one session focused on Christian empowerment where you'll experience a rhythm that truly fits your life. Before our coaching call, you'll receive a sampler to use during our online session enhancing this fun spiritual journey in ways that will help you consistently connect with God. We'll partner together to design a peaceful Christ-centered rhythm that helps you breathe again spiritually and emotionally. You'll walk away with clarity, focus, and a renewed connection to the Holy Spirit. Go right now to PaulaBehrens.com/coaching to book your session. That's Paula Behrens, B-E-H-R-E-N S .com /coaching (no spaces). It's time to stop trying to figure it out alone and start connecting with God in a way that finally feels like refreshment for your soul. Check the show notes to save your spot while the peace reset is still on the table. All right, it's time to get started. Take a deep breath, settle in, and let's talk about hope, healing, and the loving heart of God for all of his creation. For many Christians, losing a pet can create an unexpected emotional struggle. Some believers even feel guilty about grieving an animal so deeply. They might think, maybe I shouldn't feel this sad. It was just a pet. But the truth is, the love we feel for animals is part of the beautiful way God designed our hearts. In the book of Genesis, we see that animals were created by God before human beings even appeared on the earth. Scripture tells us that God looked at all he had made and called it good. That includes the animals that roam the forest, swim in the oceans, and curl up beside us on the couch. Throughout the Bible, we see reminders that God cares deeply for his creatures. In Psalm 36:6, we read, Lord, you preserve both people and animals. And in Matthew 10:29, Jesus reminds us that not even a small sparrow falls to the ground without the Father noticing. If God notices the fall of a tiny bird, how much more does he notice the animals who have shared our homes and our lives? Grief over a pet is not something to hide from God. It's something we can bring honestly into his presence. I want to share a personal moment with you. Recently I had to say goodbye to my sweet kitty cat Raina. She had been part of my life for years, quietly weaving herself into my daily routines. She had her favorite sunny spots in the house. She loved gentle affection and had a soft, comforting presence. Like many cats, she also had her independent side, but she always seemed to know when I needed a little extra companionship. In her final moments, I was able to hold her close. I spoke softly to her and told her how much I loved her. And yes, I also told her how much Jesus loved her. Some people might smile at that, but in that moment my heart simply overflowed with gratitude for the little life God had entrusted to me. Being able to hold her, comfort her, and speak love over her was a gift. After she passed, I created a small place in my garden to remember her. I planted flowers and placed a little statue of a sleeping cat beneath them. Now when I walk into my backyard, I pause there at that spot. It's a quiet place of remembrance and gratitude. It reminds me of the joy she brought into my life, and it reminds me of God who created her. As Christians, the Bible tells us something very important about grief. In 1 Thessalonians 4 :13, the Apostle Paul writes that believers do not grieve as others do, who have no hope. Notice that Paul does not say Christians don't grieve. He simply says we grieve differently. Our sorrow is real, but it's wrapped in hope. The Bible doesn't give us a detailed description of pets in heaven, yet scripture does reveal something beautiful about the future God has prepared. In the book of Isaiah, we see a picture of the coming kingdom where animals live peacefully together, lions, lambs, and other creatures are part of that restored creation. In the book of Revelation, we see imagery of a New Heaven and a New Earth where all creation is restored. Romans 8 tells us that creation itself is waiting eagerly for that day of redemption. This means animals are part of God's larger story of restoration. So while the Bible does not give us a specific promise that our individual pets will be waiting for us in heaven, it does show us something very encouraging. God loves his creation and the future he's preparing includes animals. When we combine that truth with the promise that God will wipe away every tear, we can trust that whatever heaven holds will be filled with joy, restoration, and peace. And if that joy includes the companionship of animals we once loved, it would certainly fit beautifully with the heart of our Creator. Let's take a moment to look at one word in the New Testament that beautifully connects this conversation. The word is hope. In Greek, the word used in many New Testament passages is elpis (ἐλπίς). Unlike the way we often use the word hope today, elpis (ἐλπίς) does not mean a vague wish or uncertain possibility. Biblical hope is a confident expectation. It is the settled assurance that God will do what he has promised. When Paul writes that believers do not grieve like those without hope, he's speaking about this deep, confident trust in God's goodness and future restoration. This kind of hope allows us to feel sadness without despair. It allows us to cry but still trust. It allows us to say goodbye while believing that God's story is not finished. When we bring our grief about a loved pet to God, we do so with elpis (ἐλπίς), the confident hope that the Creator who designed that little life knows exactly what he's doing with his creation. In a few moments, I'll be sharing how the aromas God lovingly created in nature can be used in a coaching session to bring gentle support in the tender place of grief, helping to lighten the emotional burden and quiet the heaviness that loss often leaves behind. Because here's the thing: we know our faith invites us to trust God, and yet our hearts can still feel deeply broken. Grief needs expression. Suppressing grief rarely works. Instead, God often invites us to process it in meaningful ways. Creating a small memorial, like the garden space I made for Raina, can be one beautiful way to do that. Some people write a short prayer of gratitude for the animal that shared their life. Others gather photos or create a memory journal. Still others plant a tree or flowers in honor of their beloved companion. These small acts are not about clinging to the past. They're about honoring the gift that animal was in our lives. Grief often softens our heart. When we walk through loss, we often become more compassionate toward others. Sometimes the comfort we receive from God becomes something we can offer to someone else. In that way, even the loss of a pet can become part of how we live on purpose in Christ. There's another gentle tool that can help during seasons of grief. As many of you know, I often talk about how God designed our bodies with remarkable connections between our senses and our emotions. Our sense of smell is especially powerful. The olfactory nerve, the nerve responsible for smell, is directly connected to the limbic system of the brain. This is the area involved in emotions, memory, and emotional regulation. That is why a familiar scent can instantly bring back memories from years ago. When we combine intentional breathing, prayer, and carefully chosen essential oil aromas, we can help the brain release emotional stress patterns that have become stuck. The aroma freedom technique works by guiding someone through a series of gentle questions that helps identify emotional blocks or negative thought patterns. As a person breathes in specific aromas, the brain begins to form new associations that allow those emotional burdens to loosen. This process does not replace prayer or spiritual care. Instead, it can complement them by helping the body and brain move out of emotional stress and into a calmer, more peaceful state. For someone grieving a beloved pet, aromas like lavender or frankincense can support relaxation and emotional comfort while the heart processes loss. It's a beautiful reminder that God designed our bodies with built-in pathways for healing. Sometimes grief changes us in quiet ways. When we walk through loss, we become more sensitive to the pain of others. A friend who loses a pet suddenly has someone who understands. A neighbor going through a difficult time may find a listening ear in us. In this way, even our sorrow becomes part of how God shapes us to love others well. And that, my friend, is one of the ways we live on purpose in Christ. If you're listening today and your heart is heavy because you have recently lost a beloved pet, I want you to know something. Your grief matters, your memories matter. And the God who created that little life sees your tears. Sometimes it helps to walk through those emotions with someone who understands both the spiritual and the emotional side of healing. One way I support clients through seasons like this is with an aroma freedom technique coaching session. These sessions gently combine prayerful reflection, guided questions, and the use of essential oil aromas to help release emotional blocks that may be keeping grief or stress stuck in the body. During the Aroma Freedom session, we create a calm and compassionate space where you can process what you're feeling, invite the Holy Spirit into the conversation, and allow your mind and body to begin moving toward peace again. Many people find that once those emotional patterns begin to release, they are able to remember their loved ones, including their beloved pets, with gratitude instead of only pain. If that sounds like something that could support you right now, I warmly invite you to book an aroma freedom technique session with me today. Okay, before we close, I want to leave you with this thought. Every creature on this earth exists because God spoke it into being. The animals that share our homes are not accidents. They are part of his beautiful creation. When we love them, care for them, and grieve their passing, we are participating in something that reflects the heart of the Creator Himself. One day, Scripture tells us, God will wipe away every tear. And whatever that new creation looks like, it will be more beautiful than we can ever imagine. Until then, we live with hope. We give thanks for the gifts God places in our lives, and we continue living on purpose in Christ. Now, before we finish, I want to speak directly to anyone listening whose heart still feels tender or heavy. Sometimes after losing a beloved pet, the grief doesn't just disappear. Certain memories can trigger tears, the house can feel a little quieter, and sometimes our emotions get stuck in that place of loss longer than we expected. That is actually very normal. God designed our brains and emotions to process loss gradually. This is one of the reasons I offer the Aroma Freedom Technique Coaching Session, AFT for short. In an AFT session, we gently combine prayerful reflection, guided questions, and specific essential oils that interact with the emotional center of the brain. This process helps release emotional patterns that keep grief, sadness, or stress stuck in the body. Many people find that during a session, they experience a surprising sense of peace and emotional relief. Instead of feeling weighed down by grief, they begin to remember their loved companion with gratitude, warmth, and even joy. If you're walking through pet loss right now, you don't have to process it alone. I would be honored to sit with you in this space. I invite you to schedule an AFT coaching session with me at PaulaBehrens.com /aft -booking. That's Paula Behrens B-E-H R E N S .com /aft -booking. We will take about an hour together in a calm Christ-centered environment where we will invite the Holy Spirit into the healing process and gently work through whatever emotions are surfacing. Here's the link again. Paula Behrens B-E-H R E N S .com /aft-booking. You'll also find the link in the show notes. If your heart has been carrying a little more sadness than you expected after losing your sweet pet, this may be exactly the kind of support your mind and body needs right now. And remember, even in the tender moments of life, God is near, his love is constant, and his purpose for your life continues to unfold. Thank you for tuning in today. And remember, just like setting biblical boundaries, it's okay to say no to things that don't serve you well, like that third piece of cake at the church potluck. If you were blessed by this episode, be sure to share it with a friend and leave a review so that we can reach even more listeners like you. Check the show notes for all the links. Join us next week as we continue to discover how to live with purpose in Christ. Until then, keep leaning into Him and walking in His Wisdom. See you next time.