An Evening Prayer for a World in Trouble

God of all the earth,
the news is never quiet for long.

So much is wrong in the world tonight.
Wars and floods and fires.
Children in danger. Families far from home.
Prices going up, and tempers with them.
Stories that make me afraid for the future.

I can't carry the whole world to bed with me.
I was never meant to.
But I can carry it to You.

Be with the people in tonight's headlines —
the frightened, the grieving, the homeless,
and everyone working to help them.
Hold back the hands of the violent.
Give wisdom to those who lead.
Show me the one small thing I can do,
and keep me from despair over the rest.

You are still God tonight.
You are our refuge and strength.
The earth may shake,
but You are not shaken.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

When to Pray This

Pray this after the evening news, or when you notice you are carrying the day's headlines to bed. Say it in a chair before you turn out the light, and add the names of any people or places the news brought to mind.

A Verse to Hold On To

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble." — Psalm 46:1 (BSB)