Workday Prayers: Waiting and Hoping
Scripture – Psalm 130:1-2, 5-6 (NRSV)
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications! . . .
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
A Note from Mark
In Tuesday’s devotion I included a short note, explaining how Life for Leaders readers can support the work of Fuller’s De Pree Center. If this is something you’re interested in, please click here to read my note. Thanks very much. – Mark
Focus
When things at work are hard, I wait upon you, Lord. I wait with hope because you are faithful, strong, and gracious. Amen.
Prayer
Gracious Lord,
Today I cry out to you from the depths.
I am really down today,
Discouraged and worried.
Things at work are not just hard,
They’re frustrating and crazy-making.
I wonder if I can keep on going.
So I ask you, dear Lord,
To hear my voice,
As I pray to you.
I’m waiting for you, Lord,
Waiting with eagerness,
Waiting with anticipation,
Waiting attentively like a night watchman looking for dawn.
Waiting is hard, Lord.
It’s hard to be patient when you seem slow to act.
Yet I wait on you.
Eagerly, faithfully, and hopefully.
Yes, I wait with hope,
Hoping in you, Lord, only in you.
I don’t place my hope in circumstances or people,
Or in my ability to make things right.
But I know you are faithful, strong, and gracious.
You will never forsake me.
So I put my hope in you,
Today, tomorrow, and forever. Amen.
Ponder Throughout the Day
In this season of Advent, we wait with hope upon the Lord.
For Further Reflection
Psalm 62:1-2, 5
For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall never be shaken. . . .
For God alone my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from him.
Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
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Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the High Calling archive, hosted by the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Advent Reflection: Waiting for Forgiveness in Psalm 130
Mark D. Roberts
Senior Strategist
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...