A Prayer for Times of Crisis
By Abby Perry
I sat in my favorite corner of our couch, knees pulled up to my chest. A few close friends were scattered around the room, eyes soft, questions gentle. We had been at an event together earlier that evening where words were spoken that caused a part of my heart to fracture. When I left the event as soon as possible, these women called and offered to come, to sit and listen or let silence linger. We did some of both.
Mostly, I rambled, at least that’s how I remember it. I remember tears and closing my eyes as I spoke sentences that embarrassed me, words that made me feel faithless and weak. But most of all, I remember the tenderness of the women gathered in that room, their compassionate strength that bore the weight of my sadness and anger.
When I was in crisis, the physical presence, help, and listening ear of others was critical. Never have I been so aware of the beauty of the body of Christ as I have been when I was dependent upon others to care for me, to support my family, and to pray and believe for me when I was losing my grip on the ability to do so for myself.
When crisis comes, many of us determine to buckle down, to believe that grit and fortitude will be enough to weather the storm. But what this often can mean is that we want to be strong, though Scripture tells us that God’s grace is made perfect in our weakness. Try as we might to avoid them, crises will come for us in this life. We are not alone because of the presence of God, and we are not alone because of the brothers and sisters He has given us. May we draw near to the One Who is our shelter in the storm by drawing near to those He loves.
Lord, I am overwhelmed by my situation. I can hardly find words, but I know you understand what I am going through. Oh Father – help! I know you promise to never leave me or forsake me. Be with me now- help me know you are with me. I know you will never let your children slip and fall – hold me up! Lord, give me the strength I need today to make it through this trial. Give me hope that can only come from you. In your name I pray, Amen.
This devotional was taken in part from Abby Perry’s article How to Respond in Times of Crisis. You can read that piece in full here.
Related Resource: A Prayer for When You Feel Spiritually Tired
There is a particular kind of exhaustion that has nothing to do with how much sleep you got last night. It's the weariness that settles into your soul when you've been going hard for a long time — when prayer feels hollow, worship feels distant, and you find yourself sitting in church thinking about everything except what's being said. If that's where you are tonight, this episode was written for you. If you like what you hear, follow Your Nightly Prayer on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Monday, 15 June 2020.
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