When Life Feels Broken: A 5-Day Devotional on Joelنموونە

Have you ever been in a season where life feels overwhelming? A relationship ends, you get hurt in a game, or you fail a test. When life feels chaotic and hopeless, we try to fix it on our own terms.

When the locust plague left God’s people devastated, Joel told them something surprising: don’t just try to rebuild, don’t just complain — gather together, fast, and cry out to God. He wanted them to understand that true help doesn’t come from our own strength but from God’s mercy. Fasting meant giving up food to show their seriousness about seeking God. Crying out meant they admitted they couldn’t fix this on their own. That’s a good picture of how we should respond to struggles in our own lives.

Too often, we go to our friends, social media, or even just distract ourselves instead of going straight to God. But Joel reminds us: when life feels too heavy to carry, the first and best step is to run to God. Do you turn to God first when trouble comes?

Christ Connection

In Matthew 11:28-29, we see that Jesus invites us to bring our burdens to Him.

Ask

What burden do I need to bring to Jesus today?

Pray

Lord, I admit that I often try to handle things on my own instead of turning to You. Forgive me for putting other things before You. Teach me to run to You first when I’m hurting or scared. Thank You that You don’t just tell me to be strong, but You invite me to lay my burdens at Your feet. Help me trust that You are strong when I feel weak. Give me peace in my heart today, knowing You are my refuge and my help in every situation.

Try this

Fast from something in your life — social media, food, or coffee — for a day as a way to practice depending on God. Use this time to give your burdens to God and ask Him to strengthen you.