A Prayer When Storms Roll In
By Heidi Vegh
“The Lord is God, and HE has given us light (illuminating us with His grace, freedom, and joy).” - Psalm 118:27
I often hear the word “rollercoaster” when people talk about the state of their lives. In Bible study this week, we discussed how our lives are full of ups and downs, hills and valleys. One day, things might be going super well, and your lifeboat is drifting softly; then something happens, and boom, things are jolted, expectations are crushed, and we are left feeling anxious, afraid, or depressed. We remember the good times fondly and wonder how we can return to the good feelings or the calm circumstances. This is challenging.
In John 16:33, we hear the beautiful words of Jesus: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
We can’t expect everything to always be good, but what does Jesus tell us about living abundantly when the storms roll in, and things seem out of control? Let’s back up and discover what “things” Jesus refers to. Earlier in John 15 and 16, Jesus explains the time He will be taken to the Father. A time when He will leave us with our helper, advocate, comforter, counselor, and strength, the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us that we live in a fallen world where storms will come, but we are not alone. We don’t need to muster up the strength or energy to go through a difficult season in our own power. We have a place to go with our suffering. We can hold out our pain, disappointments, and sorrows to God and know that He cares deeply about every detail of our storms.
“Casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.” - 1 Peter 5:7
Next time you navigate a storm, sit with the Lord with open hands (literally). Palms up and heart quiet. Allow His peace to penetrate your heart and give you the strength you need, the wisdom you need, and the peace you need to continue walking the complex paths of life. This doesn’t mean that our trials will disappear, but it does mean that God will help us through them.
The more time we spend with the Lord, on good days and bad, our hearts become strengthened with the truth of who God is so that when the storms come, we are tethered to an anchor of strength that gives us the ability to withstand the winds. The power of the wind may sting; it may hit us in the head with flying objects, but we will be anchored, secure, and safe in the arms of Jesus. When we cling to God and His promises, we can rest assured that He can take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it for good. (Romans 8:28)
Let’s pray:
Lord, we come to you with open hands and open hearts. We lay our struggles, disappointments, discouragements, fears, and losses at your feet. They are heavy to carry, and we give them to you. We trust that you are a good father who loves us exceedingly more than we could ever imagine. Your love for us is vast, high, wide, and deep (Ephesians 3:18-19).
We trust that your character is good; we know you have good plans for us and can bring good out of any challenging circumstance. Today specifically, I lift up ______________. Take this burden. Release me from its grip and teach my heart to trust you fully. I long to trust you with my actions, to trust you with the outcome, and to trust you in the pain and confusion that it is causing.
I need your peace today, Jesus. I need to feel your presence and take a deep breath of relief, knowing you will care for me. I understand that things may continue to be difficult, but I trust that you will give me the supernatural strength to endure as long as I stay connected to you. Surround my heart with knowledge and truth and reveal things that need to be dragged into the light, even if it is something that I need to face or change about myself. I am willing to fully commit to obeying and relying on you only to get me through this storm. I long to have people in my life who can speak the truth about my situation and give me humility. Help me do what I can to make things better.
Thank you, Jesus, for being my rock, my redeemer, and the only thing I need to endure storms. Praise you, Lord, for your good and perfect heart. Fill me with your overflowing peace today, just as you filled Paul with your peace as He sat in prison ( Phil 4:11-3). I know I can do everything through you, who strengthens me (Phil 4:13). Amen.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/whiteson
Heidi Vegh is a writer, speaker, and ministry leader living in Western Washington. She is a remarried mother of four, navigating the blended family life after the loss of her first husband to cancer in 2013. She longs to use her writing as a way to encourage others who have experienced loss and guide them on the road to healing. She contributes to her blog found at www.mrsheidivegh.com , sharing stories and devotionals of faith stemming from her loss and healing, mothering, and her blended and complex family. She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a degree in Creative Writing and English and is working on her first book. Heidi is the Women’s Ministry Director at her local church and has a deep heart for sharing Jesus with women and encouraging them in their faith walk. When she is not writing, she loves to travel, read, craft, and experiment in the kitchen. Visit her Facebook and Instagram (@mrsheidivegh) to learn more.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
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