A Prayer for When You Don't Want to Move On

On Grief, Loss & Sorrow

There is pressure to move on after loss — to "get over it," to "find closure," to return to normal life. But sometimes you don't want to move on. The grief feels like the last connection you have. Moving on feels like betrayal, like leaving them behind, like admitting the loss is real in a way you're not ready to admit. This prayer is for that resistance.

Your reluctance to move on is not a problem to solve. It is a testament to love. The connection was real, and you are not ready to loosen your grip on it. That is understandable. That is human. That is love refusing to let go.

You do not have to move on until you are ready. And you may never "move on" in the way others expect. You may simply learn to move forward while carrying the loss with you.

Why Moving On Feels Wrong

The pressure to move on can feel cruel when you're grieving. It implies that the loss should be left behind, that the person should fade from significance, that life should return to normal. But nothing about this feels normal.

• Moving on feels like forgetting
• Feeling better feels like betrayal
• The grief is the last way to feel close to them
• Others' expectations don't match your reality
• You fear that releasing grief means releasing them
• The world moving on while you're still hurts

These feelings make sense. They reflect the depth of your connection and the reality of your loss. There is nothing wrong with you for feeling them.

The Difference Between Moving On and Moving Forward

"Moving on" implies leaving the loss behind. "Moving forward" means continuing to live while carrying the loss with you. You can move forward without moving on. The loss remains part of your story even as you continue writing new chapters.

This distinction may help when others pressure you to move on. You can say: "I'm not moving on. I'm learning to move forward while carrying this with me." There is a difference.

A Prayer for Permission to Stay

This prayer gives you permission to stay with your grief as long as you need, without rushing toward resolution you don't want.

Lord, I don't want to move on. Everyone says I should, but I'm not ready. Moving on feels like leaving them behind, like admitting this is real, like loosening my grip on the last thing that connects us. Give me permission to stay here a while longer. I know I cannot live in grief forever. But I am not ready to leave yet. Let me grieve at my own pace. Let others' timelines not become my pressure. Walk with me in this stubborn grief, this reluctant mourning. You do not rush those who weep. You sit with them. Sit with me now. I will move when I am ready. Not before.

After the prayer, release any pressure you feel from others' expectations. Your grief, your timing. No one else gets to decide when you've grieved enough.

Honoring Your Own Timing

Grief has no correct timeline. You are the only one who knows when movement feels right. These thoughts may help protect your pace.

• You don't owe anyone a faster recovery
• Grief is not a task to complete efficiently
• Staying with grief is not the same as being stuck in it
• Movement will come when you're ready, not before
• The relationship deserves the mourning you're giving it
• Love doesn't have an expiration date

Trust yourself. You will know when it's time to begin moving forward. That time is not now, and that is okay.