A Morning Prayer Before I Check the News

God of all the nations,
in a moment I will read the news.
Some of it will be hard.
Some of it will make me afraid or angry.

Before I look, steady my heart in You.
Nothing I read will surprise You.
You were awake through all of it.

Keep me from swallowing fear with my coffee.
Keep me from hating the people I disagree with.
Let every hard story become a prayer:
for the grieving family, the frightened town,
the leaders who must make difficult choices,
the places too far away for me to help.

Then let me close the page and live this day
with a steady heart and open hands,
doing the good that is in front of me.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

When to Pray This

Pray this at the breakfast table before you open the paper or pick up your phone. If the news turns out to be hard, come back afterward and pray over the stories that stayed with you.

A Verse to Hold On To

"He does not fear bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD." — Psalm 112:7 (BSB)