Dear Lord,

The days are dark. We hear much about gun violence and mass shootings in the news. Our hearts are heavy at this latest school shooting. Yet we Christians have something many don’t. A secret strength. We have faith in You – trust in You – and we can share this heavy burden with You. As a result, the burden we carry is lighter than the burden of those without faith. Many are crushed by the world around them and plot evil schemes to cope.

You tell us in Psalm 37:

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; For like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit you way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; Do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it only leads to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

Excerpts from Psalm 37

Through the darkest of days when we shift our focus to You instead of the problems surrounding us – You lighten the load.

You are bigger than all our problems.

• When we can’t find a way – You can.
• When our thoughts are anxious knots – You untangle them.
• When we bring You, Jesus, back into our worldview – we carry the burden together.

Even if our circumstances don’t change – We can carry the burden together. Let us take refuge in You and trade our problems for Your presence.

Amen.