Lent – Day 32

Recovering From a Year of Worry

“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.

What can man do to me? Psalm 118:6

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

It’s fair to say that 2020 and 2021 were years of lasting change for many. They brought a global pandemic as well as rising unease and disunity. As mentioned yesterday, every person has their own list of the challenges that that they faced. Combine them, and you have the perfect recipe for stress stew. A dish of disquiet. A casserole of concern.

Maybe you can relate. No matter what you want to call your meal of melancholy, it helps to remember that God is with you through it all. 

This doesn’t mean ignoring the pain and evidence that the world is not as it should be. It is worth lamenting the brokenness you see and experience. It’s equally important to pray for God’s direct intervention in the fallenness of our world. 

However, we must also remember that God is already at work redeeming it all. The kingdom of God is not just a future paradise. It is a present reality for those who know Him. He is here.

Jesus took time to institute communion the day before His crucifixion — a symbol reminding us of his own body and blood there for us. He is by your side in even your darkest moments too.

When things are at their most difficult, seek peace not in your temporary circumstances but in the unending companionship and promises of a God who knows your pain and whose ultimate plan is to make everything right.

Pray

“God, help me to find Your peace even in the middle of what’s on my plate today. Just as You were able to sleep aboard a boat tossed by wind and waves (Mark 4:35-41), grant me supernatural peace. Keep my mind fixed on You, not on my circumstances.”