Prayer for Striving

Biased on Philippians 3

All powerful and All knowing God,

We see your example of creating and sustaining and marvel at your productivity. You, who has set the stars in the sky, you oh God, who has fashioned the intricacies of a nervous, you heavenly father, who has ordained the rise and fall of nations.

Yet, God, we pretend that we might be busy and accomplished people. That we might gather unto ourselves great accolades and personal triumphs. Then we might, in some way, perform our way to worthiness.

How foolish we are, oh God, in our striving. How naïveare we to believe that we can make anything of ourselves apart from you.

Within ourselves, we carry our accomplishments. We carry the expectations we have placed upon ourselves and the expectations we imagine others have placed upon us.

We confess that sometimes we believe we have to be impressive to be worthy.
We believe we have to be successful to belong.
We believe we have to get everything right to be loved.

Thank you that our identity is not ultimately determined by what we accomplish or how others perceive us.

Rather, we are already worthy because you have created us just so.

Therefore, oh God,

When we are tempted to compare ourselves to others, remind ourselves that we are uniquely called to be ourselves.

When we feel that we are falling behind, remind us that discipleship is not a competition but a collaborative enterprise.

Jesus, Teach us the freedom of belonging.

Give us the courage to be honest about who we are and who you are calling us to become.

Holy Spirit, as we gather today…

May those who are struggling know they are welcome.
May those who have failed know they are loved.
May those hurt by the church find tenderness and grace.
May those who feel like outsiders discover that there is a place for them among us.

Bind us together, O God, not through perfection or sameness, but with ties of love, the love found in Christ.

Help us leave behind the things that no longer define us and reach toward the life you are calling us to live.

May we become people who no longer ask,

“Am I enough?”

but instead trust the good news:

I am loved.
I am claimed.
I belong.

And from that place of belonging, may we become more fully the people you have created us to be.

Through Jesus Christ, who has made us his own,

Amen.