A Prayer for Those Tired of Serving in Church

Hearing the call to serve is only half the battle. Once we slip into the shoes we were meant to fill, the journey continues to twist and turn with ups and downs. But serving the church doesn’t mean loyalty to one building… or one logo. It’s all about one man. Jesus. And spreading His gospel of love, peace, and hope. The church consists of all believers, regardless of denomination, over all time. Prayer is a powerful way to see and listen outside of the confines we serve in. 

Father, praise You for Your church. For the way You place us to work together to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The duty to pour out Your love on others is humbling and fulfilling. Your plan is perfect, and we are all a part of it! 

Thank You for the church we serve in. We know it’s no accident that You have placed us here; even in moments of boredom or fatigue, we know that when we seek to hear Your voice above all others, we will find reassurance and encouragement. 

Forgive us, Father, for our discouragement today. We are tired, physically and emotionally… spiritually drained. There are times we can’t reach past our human limitations to hear You. We run out of energy to seek You. Our bodies keep us from finding You. Sometimes, You are quiet. In these moments, we confess that we allow evil to creep in. 

Teach us, Father, how to defend ourselves in these moments. Disunity and unraveled progress, laziness and ineptitude, can run rampant if we are not diligent to squash the lies that hound us when we are tired. Strengthen us before we realize how weak we are. Enlighten us when we’re aggravated with a brother or sister to realize that a liar is poking at us. 

The last thing the devil wants is for the church to grow in numbers and accord. But when we are tired, we don’t see it that way. The sinful  nature in all of us due to Adam and Eve’s mistake puts us at battle with what we want to do and what we hate. What we know is right isn’t always enough, but You are, Father. Jesus is. And the Spirit is strong when we are weak. 

We pray today, whether we are tired now or full of energy, that You will strengthen us. Defend and protect us from being taken advantage of when we are run down. Speak truth to us when we are under attack. Before we even need rest, rejuvenate us. Motivate us to seek You daily in Your Word, so that we may have what we need to prevail and come forth unscathed. Psalm 103:2 instructs us to “sing a song from a grateful heart; sing and never forget all the good He has done.” 

By singing praise to You, and thanking You for our blessings, the power of a grateful heart connected to You can overtake any tiring mantra. Verses 3-4 of this Psalm continue to reassure us: 

“Despite all your many offenses, He forgives and releases you. More than any doctor, He heals your diseases. He reaches deep into the pit to deliver you from death. He crowns you with unfailing love and compassion like a king.” 

How great is Your love, to wake us back up when we are tired. When we have forgotten why we serve, belong to our church, and volunteer our time, You remind us of Your mercy. You show us Your love. 

It wasn’t easy for Jesus to serve. In complete obedience to You and Your plan, He walked this earth criticized. Tired, and in agony in the garden praying over His own death upon Him. Jesus knows how we feel. Knows our pain. He recognizes betrayal. Yet through all of the scorn, mockery, and humiliation, He carried on. 

Help us to be more like Him each day, regardless of how worn out we may become. Jesus knew that death would not win in the end. He told His disciples over and over that He would rise again three days after His crucifixion. But they didn’t understand. They were tired… worn out… scared… sad… but they came to know completely what He had promised to be true. And we will too. Death does not win, and our place in His plan is fleeting but important. Bless us to follow swiftly, be encourage by Your Word, and look to Jesus. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Meg Bucher writes about everyday life within the love of Christ on her blog, http://sunnyand80.org. “Mom” is the most important calling on her life, next to encouraging others to seek Him first… authentically. A dance mom, occasional substitute teacher, and youth worship leader, she can often be found having some kind of an adventure in the small little lake town she resides in with her husband of ten years, two daughters, and their doodle-dog.

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