Welcome to the Prayers of Rest podcast.

I'm your host, Ashrida Chuchu, and this season we're praying for joy together.

So take a deep breath and quiet your heart as we become aware of God's loving presence around us and within us.

Today's passage comes from Psalm 30, verse 5.

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Let's begin by reciting God's goodness.

God, we praise you.

We thank you for being a savior who is close.

That in those difficult moments where it feels like sorrow presses heavy on

our hearts, when it feels like all we can do is cry out for your rescue.

Thank you that you are close, that you are nearby, that salvation is not far away, that you are not a far off

distant God who has a hard time hearing us or whose heart is far from us, but rather you

are close to the brokenhearted.

You are near to those who are crushed in spirit.

So even in those hard moments, God, we cry out to you.

In our sorrow and weeping, we turn to you.

We ask that you would make your presence so real to our hearts.

But though we might not see you, we might yet sense you, sense your spirit close to us.

God, thank you for this promise that even in a season of weeping and sorrow, your joy will still have the final word.

Your joy is promised to us.

Your joy is the birthright that you give us as your children.

And so help us, God, to hold on to that hope that even in the dark night of mourning and weeping and crying, joy, joy is coming.

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