“I will turn their mourning into joy;
I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance,
and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 31:13-14).

Lord God,

As we begin another week in this new reality our whole world is in, our hearts may certainly seem troubled. Our world is shaken. The way we go about life everyday has changed and we’re uncertain about what tomorrow or next month or next week will hold. And yet, you are the God who turns mourning into joy. Circumstances seem joyless, but Lord, You are still God, our salvation is still sure, eternity still awaits, and You are still good to us. Help us remember this; give us a joy that goes beyond circumstances, but that sees You on Your throne. Help us not to seek comfort in our circumstances, in a life that we can make for ourselves, but in You; You are the God of all comfort.

Lord, as Your people, we come to You and know You for ourselves, all through Jesus Christ. If You’ve given Him for our salvation, how much more will you give us exactly what we need in this life? You are our Good Shepherd, and we lack nothing. Lord, lavish our souls with Your goodness. May we feast on You. Though we might feel the lack of freedom or security or in-person fellowship with people we know and love, satisfy us with Your goodness, Your presence, Your peace, Your hope. Even though we may be missing parts of our lives, we do not lack the most important part; we have You.

So Lord, though we may feel unsettled and scared with the world around us,
Settle our shaken and weary hearts in You, so that we rest content, at rest in You.

For suggestions of how to pray during the COVID-19 crisis, click here.