Prayer To Help Us Stay Grounded During The COVID-19 Pandemic
Thursday April 23, 2020
During these days of the covid-19 pandemic with so many things we take for granted upended, let’s pray and ground our lives in the joy and rest that comes from knowing we matter to God and that He has good plans for us today.
That’s why I decided to focus our moments of prayer on what that’s looked like for me for several decades since my life went from darkness to light and from heavy heartedness to hope and shared with you three life affirmations that are based in God’s word that I remind myself and ground myself in so I can stand up straight and strong no matter what circumstances around me look like or feel like.
So this second little principle speaks about the value of our life. No matter how successful I was in school or in work, I can’t tell you how inferior and without beauty and value I thought my existence was. No matter how hard I worked it all seemed meaningless and pointless and it certainly didn’t give me joy. As I mentioned earlier, the darkness and meaninglessness of it all led me to a very dark place where I thought suicide was the only realistic option. I’m so glad that I was wrong.
It’s interesting that in my own time of prayer and reading the Bible this morning, where I follow a pattern of readings, this verse was scheduled:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9
Our lives are not random. Things are not spinning out of control during these topsy-turvy locked down days of the covid-19 crisis. God has chosen us – each one of us, prepared us and gifted us for this day and this set of circumstances so we could experience how special and useful we are in God’s plan. While our way forward may seem dark, God calls us out of that darkness to come into His wonderful light. He is making a way for us to know joy and peace and purpose today. We are beautiful people – even in our sweat pants, without makeup and with our shapeless uncurled hair!!!
Let’s pray and enter into the joy and rest that comes from knowing we matter to God and that He has good plans for us today:
God, you have made us in love and beauty. I believe you created us
to accomplish good things today and every day of our lives. This covid-19 crisis cannot steal that from us. In spite of all the challenges, we choose to believe Your words rather than our circumstances.
We don’t necessarily feel all that beautiful these days but You have created us in love and You delight in us today. This time of the covid-19 crisis doesn’t seem like a beautiful season of our life but You are with us in love and ready to help us find meaning and purpose even in these very different days.
Help us to be conscious of Your presence with us and Your delight in us. We are your chosen people, Your special possession. We want the ears of our soul to hear those joyful songs you are singing over us and let those sweet sounds calm all our fears. We are safe in Your care today.
Lord Jesus, we are not able to figure out many plans these days because of circumstances around us and public health orders and physical distancing and so on, but You have good plans for us. Help our hearts to be quiet as we seek to hear Your voice as You share Your plans for us in this day. Would you use us today to show the world your love and kindness through us.
Show us what we should be occupied with today. Even though it may be quite different from our usual employment or daily activities, help us to be aware of things that need doing, ways we can help, and put our particular skill sets to good use.
And God, we’re so glad that You didn’t come to this day in this time of covid-19 health restrictions without a plan. You prepared ahead of time for what we would be facing right now, in whatever time zone we are living in.
We thank you for your abundant provision for all that we need today. Thank you for your promise that at all times, in all things, having everything we need we can abound in good work.
We are, in fact, your masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good work which you planned for us long ago. Help us to live inside Your plan and Your generous provision and together with You, make this day a real masterpiece of Your love and goodness lived out through us.
That’s why I decided to focus our moments of prayer on what that’s looked like for me for several decades since my life went from darkness to light and from heavy heartedness to hope and shared with you three life affirmations that are based in God’s word that I remind myself and ground myself in so I can stand up straight and strong no matter what circumstances around me look like or feel like.
So this second little principle speaks about the value of our life. No matter how successful I was in school or in work, I can’t tell you how inferior and without beauty and value I thought my existence was. No matter how hard I worked it all seemed meaningless and pointless and it certainly didn’t give me joy. As I mentioned earlier, the darkness and meaninglessness of it all led me to a very dark place where I thought suicide was the only realistic option. I’m so glad that I was wrong.
It’s interesting that in my own time of prayer and reading the Bible this morning, where I follow a pattern of readings, this verse was scheduled:
Our lives are not random. Things are not spinning out of control during these topsy-turvy locked down days of the covid-19 crisis. God has chosen us – each one of us, prepared us and gifted us for this day and this set of circumstances so we could experience how special and useful we are in God’s plan. While our way forward may seem dark, God calls us out of that darkness to come into His wonderful light. He is making a way for us to know joy and peace and purpose today. We are beautiful people – even in our sweat pants, without makeup and with our shapeless uncurled hair!!!
Let’s pray and enter into the joy and rest that comes from knowing we matter to God and that He has good plans for us today:
God, you have made us in love and beauty. I believe you created us
We don’t necessarily feel all that beautiful these days but You have created us in love and You delight in us today. This time of the covid-19 crisis doesn’t seem like a beautiful season of our life but You are with us in love and ready to help us find meaning and purpose even in these very different days.
Lord Jesus, we are not able to figure out many plans these days because of circumstances around us and public health orders and physical distancing and so on, but You have good plans for us. Help our hearts to be quiet as we seek to hear Your voice as You share Your plans for us in this day. Would you use us today to show the world your love and kindness through us.
Show us what we should be occupied with today. Even though it may be quite different from our usual employment or daily activities, help us to be aware of things that need doing, ways we can help, and put our particular skill sets to good use.
And God, we’re so glad that You didn’t come to this day in this time of covid-19 health restrictions without a plan. You prepared ahead of time for what we would be facing right now, in whatever time zone we are living in.
We thank you for your abundant provision for all that we need today. Thank you for your promise that at all times, in all things, having everything we need we can abound in good work.
We are, in fact, your masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good work which you planned for us long ago. Help us to live inside Your plan and Your generous provision and together with You, make this day a real masterpiece of Your love and goodness lived out through us.
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