Scripture tells us to be still and know that He is God.
Let us begin with some deep centering breaths to settle our spirits and calm our souls.
Take a deep breath in through your nose,
Feeling God's sustaining breath entering you,
And then release,
Exhaling any negativity you've been carrying.
Once more,
Deep breath in,
Then release,
Letting go of the things that are troubling you,
That you're not meant to carry,
That God wants to take from you.
Again,
Deep breath in,
Becoming more aware of God's presence within and around you,
And breathe out,
Releasing your worries and fears into God's mighty hands.
Now,
Breathe regularly,
Perhaps a bit deeper and slower than before.
Let us begin.
Dear God,
We come to you today weighed down by our concerns.
Thank you for always being with us.
You understand how much we're struggling,
Even when we can't find the words to fully express it.
The path we are on has been dark and troublesome.
Things have not worked out as we hoped.
We have not been able to find a way forward.
We feel stuck,
Confused,
And powerless,
Worn down by this dark season and its battles.
We need you.
This is too big for us.
You are our wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
You are in control,
And you love and care for us.
No matter what you allow to happen in our lives,
This never changes,
Nor will you ever leave or abandon us to face matters alone.
We have only to call on you,
To ask for your help,
And you will bring us relief and deliverance.
With the help of your Holy Spirit,
We do this now in a brief period of silent prayer,
Bringing you the tribute of our true thoughts,
Feelings,
And needs.
We trust that you are strong enough to handle these,
And that this authenticity honors you,
The One who made us.
Lord,
We thank you for always understanding us.
You are Emmanuel,
God with us.
You understand our pain and suffering.
You know what it's like to be human,
To feel alone,
Abandoned,
And forsaken.
Because you died a lonely death on a cross for us,
We are assured that God will never abandon or forsake us.
Because of your saving gift,
We are able to speak and walk humbly with our God,
Placing our trust,
Hope,
And faith in Him rather than ourselves or others.
Lord,
We thank you for your sacrifice,
For lifting us up and giving us new life,
Hope,
And purpose.
Thank you for being reliable not only in good times,
But in the dark seasons of our lives,
When it is hard to see and we stumble blindly.
In the dark,
It is harder to see reminders of your presence and goodness.
In the dark,
We are tempted to focus on what frightens and ails us,
Not on your blessings.
In the dark,
Our problems seem insurmountable,
Overwhelming,
And never-ending.
We easily slip into hurt,
Panic,
And despair.
You know this,
For you made us.
You understand our weaknesses as well as what we are facing,
And how easily it can separate us from you and cause us to stumble.
You remind us we have a choice.
We can focus on our circumstances and the world,
Or on you.
We can go it alone or depend on you.
What we choose will attest to what we believe.
What we choose will determine how we feel and act.
When we focus on you instead of our problems,
We experience the peace,
Hope,
And joy that only you can give.
The storms calm and the winds settle as we call on you,
Reaching out and clinging to your hand,
Trusting you to take care of us and the situation as you see fit.
Our path becomes lighter as the darkness is driven away.
You are the light of the world,
The one who has overcome death and darkness.
You are the lover of our souls and giver of life,
Even when we can't sense or see it.
You have a redemptive plan and time for everything,
Even when our circumstances or your timing seem wrong.
Thank you for being our ever-present guide,
Protector,
And savior.
You take our burdens and give us rest,
Healing,
And comfort.
You draw us close and shield us like a mother hen.
You fight for us and command your angels to guard,
Lift,
And protect us.
Focusing on you,
We move forward in trust,
Asking for your guidance,
Wisdom,
Healing,
And protection.
Attuning ourselves to the promptings of your Holy Spirit so that we might know when we are to rest and when we are to act.
Thanking and praising our Heavenly Father for brighter times ahead,
Even though we don't yet see them.
When we do this,
We join our fellow believers in present and past times.
We choose to trust and worship you as Joseph and Paul did in their prison cells,
David in a cave,
Daniel in a den,
And Job amidst the ruins.
In you,
We are strong and courageous,
Showing the world what we believe and whom we belong to,
Not only in our words but in our actions.
Waiting on you and trusting that you can bring goodness out of our situation at any moment,
Not just in days gone by or in the eternal realms.
You are our hope,
Our ever-present help in time of trouble.
With you,
Anything is possible.
You are the God of the wilderness,
The God of Abraham,
Moses,
And Elijah,
The God of new beginnings and second chances.
You are the God of resurrection.
Just as Easter follows Good Friday,
You bring life from ashes and joy after weeping.
A time of newness and growth will emerge from our current barrenness,
Much as spring follows winter.
You are the God of surprises,
Creative and powerful beyond all we can ask or think.
You give us what we need,
When we need it,
And so much more.
We will remain open to whatever you bring us,
Even if it's not what we imagine or wish for presently,
Trusting that it will bring us joy and satisfaction.
Thank you for using whatever happens to us for our good and your glory.
You tell us that what we are going through now has value.
It's not just a wasteland we're trapped in.
Through the darkness,
You draw us closer to you and deepen our relationship and walk with you.
Through the heat,
You refine and strengthen us,
Like silver or steel.
Through our stuckness,
You incubate us and transform us into the likeness of our Lord,
Jesus Christ,
Preparing us for the next chapter of our lives,
Growing us in wisdom,
Turning our darkness into light and giving us peace,
Joy and hope that cannot be touched by earthly circumstances.
Knowing this,
We will be thankful for even these hard seasons of life.
We will not obsess about our problems but focus instead on you,
Surrendering our will to yours and following you along the path you are leading us on.
We trust that you have plans to prosper us,
Not harm us,
To give us hope and a future.
We have but to keep our eyes on you,
Wait and be faithful.
Thank you for keeping and delivering us,
God.
In the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ,
We pray.
Amen.
