“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

In times of global crisis, we may experience anxiety and fear, even if those affected are on the other side of the world.

Thousands killed in an earthquake.  A shooting in a concert hall.  A virus spreading wildly. In a 24/7 interconnected world, we’re affected by events we might never have known of in earlier times. But know this: the heart of Jesus is for the suffering. He died to end suffering one day, once and for all.

When we pray for those in crisis, we are coming to know Jesus’ heart and connect with His sorrow. But Jesus’s sorrow isn’t like the hopeless, crushing despair we face in this world. Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 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” (Matthew 11:28-30a).

When we echo Jesus’s love by praying for those suffering, we aren’t left discouraged, anxious, and sapped of strength. His burdens are always carried in the context of hope and purpose because He is called our Living Hope! (I Peter 1:3) Because He was willing to be sacrificed in death, He made a way for all of creation to one day be made new and perfect again.  He will do a restorative work one day and we can focus, in hope, on this in prayer. When you pray with Jesus for those in crisis, your act is a powerful declaration of solidarity.  You are sharing in Jesus’ compassion.

In times of crisis, let’s combat anxiety and fear with prayer.