Sorry for your loss, anything I can do.

Most of the time I ask what I can do to help.

We actually DO something

" I am sorry for your loss". Specifically for your example.

Sending positive vibes— sending well wishes- sending love & light

To dispell darkness we introduce light. "Sending love and light" has a profoundly spiritual meaning. You say it when you want to touch a soul.

I am sorry for their loss and offer appropriate assistance as I am able....I would never impose my thoughts upon griefstruck people and prEyer is an admission of incompetence and ignorance

A phrase I hate even more, that many TV news people use, is "Our hearts go out to you"--because it seems like an insincere cliche. You could just say "my thoughts are with you"...?

"I'll be thinking of you ."

Difficult to comfort people who are grieving. "My thoughts are with you & your family" is ok. I don't say "rest in peace", "he's in a better place now," etc... I just talk about my memories with the deceased, and offer any help the family needs.

If it's a relative or close friend, I will tell them "I’m sorry you’re suffering right now, but I’m here with you and willing to help any way I can."

I don't say this but I heard someone else say " Life and death are one string". It helps me. I also heard someone say "When you die you really just move over and make room for someone else."
Sorry I changed the subject (:>

When my father died I felt like the condolences were virtually meaningless as they changed nothing, but given that my assumption of death is it is probably the same as before we were alive, and in my opinion not existing sounds profoundly peaceful in contrast to the stuggle of life... I would just suggest that they are at peace.

I'm sorry. Can I help?

Thoughts and prayers... as useful as a chocolate teapot.

They try to find a solution to the problem. Praying is just a way to do nothing and still feel good about yourself. If it is the loss of a loved one you give condolences and offer them your help in coping.

We say I'm sorry for your trouble...that spares us having to mention anything religious in nature.

Thoughts and wishes.

BOB bless you...

My thoughts are with you, which would be true. It doesn't bother me when someone says it to me, becuase they are wishing the best for me in their own way. It is the malicious and judgmental part of religion l won't tolerate.

We don't offer words, we offer action.

I tell them that I am glad they knew love and hope they find peace.

People rarely offer to pray for me, maybe they think it's opening a door to (church lady voice) SATAN. When it happens, I acknowledge they're wishing me well...or maybe they're trying to justify their own delusions and validate their mythology by converting me.

I'll often tell people, I wish you the best or I hope you win the lottery.

Good question. I despise seeing that crap all over Facebook. I agree with you. Just something they say. How many of those folks actually stop what they're doing and pray?? Or, they use that little prayer hands emoticon. Yea that's thought provoking and profound.
Like that one church shooting last year. Immediately all over social media, people were sending their thoughts and prayers about the CHURCH shooting. Really?? Thoughts and prayers didn't exactly help there, did it??
Just empty words.......

They don't. They try & DO something!