Bootstrap

52 Workday Prayers: Psalm 43 - Hoping in God

Prayer / Produced by partner of TOW
Hope

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Psalm 43:5

Prayer

Gracious God, there are times when I love my work, times when it challenges me and gives me an opportunity to use my gifts. And, of course, it helps to pay the bills!

But there are other times, times when my soul is downcast at work, times when I feel so disturbed and discouraged. Sometimes, Lord, I don’t even want to get up in the morning to go to work.

What ought I to do in those sorry times? Self-talk doesn’t get me very far. Neither does looking on the bright side. Duty will get me out of bed, but it doesn’t stir my heart or lift my burden.

O Lord, I need to put my hope in you. I need to turn to you, to open my heart, to pour out my sadness, to hold nothing back from you. I need to remember your abiding faithfulness, your amazing grace. You have plans for me that I may not understand, but your plans are always the best (Jer 29:11). No matter what happens in my work, nothing in all creation can separate me from you love (Rom 8:39).

As I put my hope in you, Lord, help me to praise you, to exalt you once again as my Savior and my God. You are there for me, Lord. You’re always in my corner. Thank you! Amen.

Ponder Throughout the Day

Put your hope in God, even at work.

For Further Reflection

Read all of Psalm 43, paying attention to what the Spirit of God is stirring up in your heart, especially in relationship to your work. Talk with God about what you are thinking and feeling.

If you’d like to learn more about Christian hope, see a devotion I wrote, “Called to Hope.”

If you’re seeking a deeper understanding of hope, let me recommend an outstanding book by N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church.

This prayer is part of a collection: 52 Workday Prayers: Learn from the Psalms How to Pray through Your Work. To purchase this devotional and small group guide, visit the De Pree Center store.