Psalm 46:1-3

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

Psalm 57:1 

1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
    I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
    until the danger passes by.

Psalm 91 and 121 

Assurance of God’s protection

Psalm 139:7-12

7 I can never escape from your Spirit!
    I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
    if I go down to the grave, you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
    if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
    and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
    and the light around me to become night—
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
    Darkness and light are the same to you.

Isaiah 40:28-31 

28 Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 43:1-2

43 But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
    O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine.
2 When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.

Matthew 11:28-30 

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

John 14:27 

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Romans 8:38-39 

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:24-26

24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

Galatians 6:2

2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Prayer (Help):

Break into my confusion, Lord. Help me to know who I am and what I am meant to be. Guide, uphold, and strengthen me as I leave behind the world of limits and labels. Guide, uphold, and strengthen me as together we create a world of infinite possibility.

Prayer (Not Alone):

In my struggles, Lord, I often feel alone. You say you are with me, but I can’t always feel it. Sometimes, I can be with people and still feel alone. Others don’t understand what I’m going through and it’s hard for them to know what to do. When this happens, I feel even more alone.

You created us because you love us and want to be with us. You designed us to need you and others. Help me receive your loving presence. Help me see when you are moving on my behalf, whether it’s through other people, through hard steps I’ve taken, through your created beauty in nature, or through some way I would never expect. I need reminders, and I need revelations of your presence with me.

Help me reach out to others when I need help, encouragement, and fun. Give me courage to ask for what I need and the courage to offer the same for others.

Heal my heart and mind in all the areas that keep me closed off, isolated, withdrawn, or defensive in relationships. I ask for your wisdom and spiritual discernment so I can see when you and your creation provide relief from loneliness. Amen.

Prayer (Grace): 

Lord, you give what we need as we need it. Your grace is not something we can make happen, and like the manna in the desert, it’s available on time, for me, every single day.

Sometimes I forget to give grace to myself. I struggle to receive the grace you give me. You give me time and space to feel the hard things and rest when needed. Help me to recognize when I need to receive your grace.
In all the challenges I face, your grace never departs. May I know this more fully. Amen.