Praise & Fear
A paraphrase of Psalm 34
I won’t stop bragging about God and what He’s doing all the time.
Praising him will be my normal conversation.
I will boast about God’s goodness,
even to people who are suffering
because it will encourage them.
Join me in singing about God’s goodness–
He always designs the right futures for us!
When I am afraid, I pray to God–
specifically asking Him what His will is
and what He wants to do in my life right now.
When I am afraid, and there are no answers.
My fear always vanishes.
I can move forward with courage and purpose,
even though I don’t know what will happen next.
Anyone who depends on God
can face hardship and crises
without feeling ashamed or depressed.
Their faces will be joyful and radiant.
I am safe in God’s hands.
I have called on God many times.
He always hears me.
He always saves me.
He always changes my troubles into blessings.
Like an army, God camps out all around me,
guarding me from the enemy
and delivering me at just the right time.
Instead of fearing circumstances,
I am filled with awe about who God is
and what He can accomplish.
I wonder why He chooses to use me?
Why He even answers me?
Even the strong are weak and hungry without God.
But if I seek Him,
I will never lack anything I need.
Come and see God’s goodness.
Turn away from panic, negative thinking,
and self-loathing.
Stop doing wrong things and thinking wrong thoughts.
Instead, pursue goodness.
There you will find peace and legacy.
God cradles the brokenhearted.
He nurses the wounded hearts and lives.
He picks us up when we are broken.
He takes our mistakes and griefs, and He redeems them–
He designs something new and beautiful from the ashes of our lives
if we trust in Him
and stop trying to manage and control everything ourselves.
God is truly my safe place,
even in an unsafe world.
Amen.
Here are some other prayers for this difficult time of pandemic and uncertainty:
Prayer for the coronavirus and the fear that goes with it
Prayer against COVID-19 illness
Today I’m thankful for…
Praying for protection and healing
A prayer against fear
A prayer against disease
Praying to trust God
