I’m not going to lie to you - I had a really hard time writing this. Partly because I feel like I have so many thoughts and yet can’t find the right words to articulate them.
And partly because I get so easily exhausted and overwhelmed by so much noise online that I hesitate to add to the conversation.
Personally, I’ve had to turn off my phone and log off social media. These past few days have been heartbreaking and overwhelming.
I’m sure like many of you, I’ve been wrestling with deep sadness, with the questions of “Why?” and “what’s next Lord?”. With anger, hurt, confusion.
It’s left me struggling in prayer – I just couldn’t even find the words.
And then my daughter reminded me of something.
We’ve been memorizing more Scripture with our children, and now they randomly like to break out in verses as we’re walking down the street, driving in the car, shopping for groceries, etc.
And as I was really struggling to even know how or what to pray, my 4-year-old started reciting these verses from Psalm 40:1-3:
I waited patiently for the Lord,
and he turned to me and heard my cry for help.
He brought me up from a desolate pit,
out of the muddy clay,
and set my feet on a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and they will trust in the Lord.
and he turned to me and heard my cry for help.
He brought me up from a desolate pit,
out of the muddy clay,
and set my feet on a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and they will trust in the Lord.
What a beautiful gift it is to store up Scripture in our hearts like this – not just to praise God, but to give us the words to pray when we are left grasping for them ourselves.
If this week has felt incredibly heavy for you too, know that God is near to the broken-hearted.
He is NEAR. His Word is TRUE.
And when we don’t have the words, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings to deep for words:
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
So if you’re feeling weary, you’re not alone.
But we don’t grieve without hope.
We don’t wrestle without truth.
We don’t walk through the valley without the Shepherd.
But we don’t grieve without hope.
We don’t wrestle without truth.
We don’t walk through the valley without the Shepherd.
And if the evil of this world starts to feel like it’s too much, then my encouragement to you is to turn off the noise.
Log out of the apps. And open God’s Word instead.
Let it be an anchor for your soul. A comfort in times of trouble.
Let it be an anchor for your soul. A comfort in times of trouble.
We know this world is fallen. There is REAL evil.
As we remember the anniversary of 9/11 and witnessed the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk this week, this is more clear than ever.
But instead of just fixing our minds on the evil of this world, I pray we turn our eyes and fix them on the Lord.
And if you’re struggling like me to even find the words to pray, my hope is that God’s Word will be the answer for your weary soul.
Here are just a few verses that I’ve been praying back to the Lord these past few days:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Psalm 34:18
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
If you have verses that have been your prayers, comfort, and cries this week, I’d love to hear them. Would you comment back so we can continue to point each other back to the truth of God’s Word?
Your sister in Christ,
Jordan