Prayer for September 29, 2021

Prayer for September 29, 2021: Please pray with me. God of the exhausted, hear our cry. Are we exhausted because of our work? Because of the pandemic and the fights over freedom and health? Because of the disease of partisanship that infects everything it touches? Because of economic uncertainty? Because of devastating climate events that humanity does so little to prevent? Because of “thoughts and prayers” responses to gun violence? Because of extensive brokenness in society and relationships? All that and more. It’s easy to get worn down by all of this — to be exhausted by it all. No wonder many compartmentalize life. No wonder many would rather turn a blind eye from it all. No wonder so many believe that if it doesn’t affect them directly it doesn’t matter. How else are people to cope with such sustained trauma? But you see creation differently. You didn’t create exhaustion. You offer sabbath — rest for the weary. Renewal. Resurrection. Transformation. And we sure need it. Help us to let go of our exhaustion. To take a breath. To know that we can’t do it all. That we can’t save anyone or change things on our own. Give us what we need to though to make life just a bit better for those around us. Turn us from complaining to participating in the transformation you are up to. To be an encouragement. To have passion. And to go forward when everyone else has given up. Amen.

Call to Action: Stop. Just be. Turn off the sound. Close your eyes. Know that God loves you, not because of what you do, but because God created you with value. Just stop doing and be. And listen. Listen to how God is calling you to see the world and its challenges and to respond with love, hope, grace, mercy, and justice. Good news is not just for others. It is for all of us. Be set free from having to do good things in order to be a good follower of God. It’s not about what you are doing to make an impact. See how God is impacting you and live into that.

Originally published at https://pastormatthewbest.com on September 29, 2021.