A Prayer for Joy in the Morning
By Kristine Brown
“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5 NLT
When a storm of life rages all around us, it’s hard to believe any relief waits beyond its terrifying fury. Gray clouds and devastating winds block our view of the coming sunrise. That’s when we must have faith in the certainty that storms will eventually cease. That light will shine once again.
Sometimes the storms we face are the kind that literally tear apart our homes and property, leaving destruction in their wake. But more often than that, we experience the storms of life that shake us to the core. The kind of storms that bring fear and cause us to doubt things will ever get better. These storms too— like physical storms— threaten to destroy things. Things like families, our health, or our well-being. Thankfully we have an unshakeable promise to cling to when those storms come.
The psalmist David knew how it felt to be surrounded by scary circumstances. He understood the need to cling to God when all hope seemed clouded by dark gray discouragement. Many of us have been there. Where middle of the night prayers feel like they aren’t being heard. Where loneliness and hopelessness thrive. But David relied on God’s truth in desperate times, and his psalm is one we can claim today as our own. Midnight often seems like our darkest hour, but praise God for the promise of joy that comes with the morning.
“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5 NLT
Are the storms of life closing in on you today? Have you been tossed by winds and rain that never seem to end? Take heart, dear child of God. Joy still comes in the morning. That is a promise from our Heavenly Father that never expires. The sun will rise again, and with it, unspeakable joy to fill our hearts. Let’s pray in expectation of the joy that will come.
Let’s pray:
Dear Lord,
When I’m in the midst of a storm, I feel shaken. Fear and doubt try to take hold of my thoughts. In those times, it’s hard to have hope. Thank you for the truth of your Word that is powerful enough to cast out fear and doubt. The night may seem dark and scary, but you promise me that joy will come in the morning.
Darkness has a way of deceiving my mind and heart, but I know Jesus is the light that pierces the darkness. So when I’m in those hard places— whether in the late night hours or surrounded by clouds— I can rest, knowing you are there with me. Comforting, protecting, and bringing supernatural peace. May the words of Psalm 30:5 be my heart’s cry as I trust in you. The devastation will not last forever. “...Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Thank you, God.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Photo credit: ©SalemDesign/BethanyPyle Stock footage Soundstripe.com
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington. Andrea Bocelli. Reba McEntire. Mark Wahlberg. Tony Dungy. Matthew McConaughey, What do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their story of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
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Originally published Thursday, 26 October 2023.
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