Lord, I’m weary.

Add in some chaos, a dash of disobedience, and an undercurrent of overwhelm and you’ll get a taste of what I feel like most days. I can’t seem to get myself together, and I don’t feel much like the girl I used to be. But I’m still Your girl, so here’s the prayer where I tell You I’m in desperate need of some hope. Lots of it. Just drown me in it. I promise I won’t even care about my hair.

I need You to wash me in Your word, and give me the faith to believe You even when I really don’t (Mark 9:24). Help me love others well (Romans 12:9). Especially these “others” who call me mom. When I’m weak (which, You know, is every day), help me remember it’s the perfect time for You to be strong (2 Corinthians 12:9), and work in my heart so that my greatest desire is to sit at Your feet (Luke 10:39) so I can get to know You more. When I feel persecuted (again, pretty much every day), remind me that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. I think I have to go through all those things before I’ll really understand what hope is, so give me the strength to rejoice when life throws me the hard stuff (Romans 5:3-4).

Sometimes, Lord, my mouth feels out of control, and when I spew on the people I love most in this world I feel sick. Place a guard over my mouth (Psalm 141:3) and make my tongue like the tongue of the wise so I can bring healing and not hurt (Proverbs 12:18). I know love covers a multitude of sins (Proverbs 10:2), so soften my heart to Your ways (Ezekiel 36:26), and use my life to tell Your story to those who might be watching, waiting to see if You’re worth it. You are. Help my life to reflect it.

Most of all, Lord, when I’m feeling down, like today, help me to remember this, and therefore have hope:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him’” (Lamentations 3:22-24).

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.