Dear you,

You hide away in your own corner of your house, scrolling through your social media feeds. Everyone seems to be having the most picture-perfect #CircuitBreaker.

You hear of stories of families growing closer and trying new things together. You watch heartwarming videos of parents bonding with their children. You see families having the best time doing home workouts and meal preps together.

Everyone seems to be having the most picture-perfect #CircuitBreaker.

But the reality that surrounds you is a completely different world.

You and your family don’t talk at all. Worse still, your days are spent screaming and shouting at each other.

You hear a sermon or read a devotional telling you how this season of divine disruption is an opportunity for family restoration.

In complete cynicism, you brush that possibility aside. Experience tells you better that this is a distant concept. You want to believe, but you just can’t. Peace is completely absent in your home.

Me? My family? Nope.

I understand how you feel, because I’ve been through that – a whole decade of it.

Though things have significantly improved at home, my family is still learning and re-learning how to be a family. Some days, I can feel the tension threatening to tip over.

So, I cannot imagine the stress and pain you must be under. The announcement of the extension of the circuit breaker period probably hit you even harder than most people.

I would like to say a prayer for you, and with you.

“Lord, I pray for those who are stuck at home with difficult families this season. Lord, only You know every single thing that is causing them distress and pain.

I pray that even now, Lord, You touch them wherever they are. I ask of Your grace and mercy to be released over them and their families.

I pray for those who wake up in the morning feeling stressed and anxious about their day ahead at home. I pray for those who go to sleep at night in tears.

You know and see every tear they shed, You hear their every cry (Psalm 56:8).

May Your peace wash over them.

I pray for these families, Lord. Help them to be at peace with one another. Manifest Your divine love within their hearts.

Even in difficult moments and days, Lord help them to remember that You are always there with them. Give them strength for today and hope for tomorrow.

For those who spend most of their days in tears, I pray You remind them that You are there. You know and see every tear they shed, You hear their every cry (Psalm 56:8).

Lord I ask that Your protection be over them, especially those whose families are extremely volatile. For those who are extremely vulnerable in their homes, I pray that You surround them with Your angels.

I pray that even in tense moments, the evil one will not have a foothold in these families. And for families that are in need of desperate intervention, Lord I pray that You send divine help their way.

Lord we know that families have been close to Your heart since the beginning of time. While the situation for many families out there may look hopeless, we know that You are sovereign.

Lord, teach us how to pray. Come and stir up faith in our hearts. Let us not be indifferent and apathetic to what is around us at home.

We repent, Lord. We repent of all the things done wrong and said out of anger and bitterness to our families.

We repent for all the times we kept quiet and did nothing when we should have. For all the times we let apathy take control in the driver’s seat.

Holy Spirit, come into these families. Pour forth Your Spirit.

Move in these houses. Soften the hearts that have long hardened and grown cold. Guide Your people to say the right things at the right time.

Forgive us, Lord. Forgive us for the lack of faith and the lack of love. Heal these households. Heal these families.

Even when we can’t see it now, God help us to believe. Help us to see what we cannot yet see.

We call upon Your name, Heavenly Father. We invite You into the mess of our homes and the darkest of situations. Let Your light shine. Come and do what only You can do.

In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Help is available if you need emotional and psychological support during this extended Circuit Breaker period.

• National CARE Hotline: 1800-202-6868
• Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222
• Community Psychology Hub’s online counselling: CPHOnlineCounselling.sg
• PAVE Integrated Services for Individual and Family Protection: 6555-0390

For a full list of community helplines, visit: go.gov.sg/helplines