5 Hopeful Prayers When the News Is Overwhelming
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Rising gas prices, inflation, wars, mass violence, political polarization, and a never ending COVID-19 global pandemic. Within three minutes of turning on the TV, the news is dire and I’m ready to change the channel. With the ongoing challenges that our world faces every day, it’s easy to want to retreat, become cynical, and lose hope. As you watch the news, you can become desensitized and have more questions than answers.
Despite the mental and emotional toll that the news takes at times, there still is hope. God is sovereign and calls us to continue to put our hope and trust in Him.
Here are five prayers of hope when the news is overwhelming.
1. Prayer of Restoration
“Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds” (Hosea 6:1).
Dear God,
Thank you for restoring our confidence in You and your absolute sovereignty. When the news seems daunting and unrelentless, thank you for restoring our hope and peace. Restore our desire to stay connected to You and others. Restore our hearts to continue to want to help and serve areas of need to which you call us. Restore peace where there is confusion, unity where there is division, and revival where there is weariness. When it is easy to want to distance ourselves from the ongoing challenges of life, restore our faith in You and humanity. Your restoration reminds us that we don’t have to navigate life alone or try to understand the many complexities without Your presence and guidance. Restore our confidence in the power of Your Word, wisdom, and continued faithfulness.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Today, I invite you to receive God’s restorative power for your life and spirit.
2. Prayer for Peace
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you” (2 Thessalonians 3:16).
Dear God,
Thank you for Your peace that surpasses all understanding. In times of uncertainty and unrest, we seek Your peace to calm troubled hearts, weary souls, and worn-torn lands. When we’ve lost hope, may Your peace remind us that You are in complete control, and will continue to lead us. May Your peace bring clarity where there is doubt, joy where there is sorrow, and hope where there is hopelessness. Despite what our eyes see daily on the news, thank you for your peace that revives our hope, trust, and confidence in You. When our minds are anxious, may Your peace strengthen and sustain us. Thank you for your peace that brings stillness to our storms. Your peace also reminds us that You are always present and will continue to lead us through challenging times. When our hearts, minds, and spirits are restless, thank you for Your peace that bring us rest. When our minds wander, thank you for Your peace that redirects us back to You.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
As you move forward, I invite you to renew your commitment to receive God’s present peace.
3. Prayer for Renewed Hope
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
Dear God,
When hope is difficult to find, please renew our hope in You. For every challenging circumstance or news story, may You remind us to keep our hope in You and your ability to breathe new life into dark and dire places.
Renew our hope in You being able to mend and comfort broken hearts, homes, and habits. Remind us that You have still called each of us for a specific purpose. When we feel hopeless and don’t know what to do, we can always pray. Renew our hope that You hear our prayers, are moving on our behalf, and care about the concerns of our personal lives and the world. When cynicism consumes us, infiltrate us with a renewed hope and desire to stay connected, engaged, and available to serve You and bless others. When our human minds have limited understanding and keep us frustrated, thank you for Your hope that reminds us we don’t have to have all the answers. Help us to let Your Word be our living hope and anchor that we stand on.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
4. Prayer for Healing
“Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise” (Jeremiah 17:14).
Dear God,
Thank you for healing our bodies, minds, and spirits. For those who are battling any type of sickness, we thank you for providing physical healing and wisdom through Your word on how we can best take care of our temples. Thank you for healing our minds that are often filled with worry, anxiety, and the weight of the world on our shoulders. When we sleep at night, remind us that Your Word is healing to soothe our minds and help us have more peace. When depression tries to consume us, thank you for Your healing that revives, strengthens, and realigns our perspective. May healing bring restoration and revitalization to our spirits that are weary, worn-out, and discouraged from what we see on the news.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
5. Prayer for Comfort
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
Dear God,
Thank you for providing comfort to those who are grieving the loss of a loved one and grieving what was in previous seasons. May Your comfort provide us hope for the future, strength for difficult days and a gentle reminder that You have not forgotten about us. May Your comfort guide us when we’ve lost our path, patience, and perseverance. When we feel alone or isolated, thank you for Your comfort that pulls us out of despair and into hope. When words are inadequate and our spirits are heavy, may Your comfort give us permission to pause, surrender our pain over to You and listen for Your still small voice.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
As we continue to watch and process the news each day, may we turn to God and place our ultimate hope, trust, and confidence in Him. Let us continue to represent Christ’s light amidst challenges, turmoil, and uncertainty. God is our living hope, and we can rest in Him and His ultimate sovereignty. Continue to surrender all our anxieties, fears, and questions to God and invite Him to direct and guide our paths.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Julius Drost
