Church Board Prayers - Week 10

“Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

As I was preparing (read ‘procrastinating’) to write my devotion this week, I came upon this quote mindlessly scrolling through Facebook:  “God isn’t asking you to figure it out. He’s asking you to trust that He already has.”

When I learned months ago that I would be writing this for the church, I thought I knew exactly what I was gonna say. But after reading what God had spoken through the others before me, I felt that what I had written was forcing my own voice when God’s was clearly trying to say something else. That’s the moment I felt a little unsure and decided I needed a break and the Facebook-scrolling began – and wouldn’t you know He found me there.

It’s funny that the message God was trying to tell me about my devotion, is also the same message He’s trying to tell through it. I was trying so hard to figure out what I wanted to say, that I got stuck. Truthfully though, I didn’t have anything to figure out; God already had a message to tell through me, I simply needed to listen and convey in trust.

I believe that nudge He gave me is also one he is laying on our church. We’re in the midst of notable changes within our church’s leadership, which will no doubt be trying as we navigate the newness of it all. There will surely be sorrow as we say good-bye to Pastor Jack and LeAnn’s leadership (but thankfully we don’t have to say good-bye to them!). Our natural reaction to this uncertainty may likely be to grab for control; try to figure out where exactly our ship is sailing; pinpoint our final destination. The truth is, we don’t need to figure anything out. We are not the navigators of this transition – God is, and we are called to trust Him. He has already overcome the world, and has faithfully overcome the transition ahead of us, too.

My prayer is that our anxious hearts will find the strength to let go and trust in the God who has already overcome any and every challenge we will face.

I pray that as members and attendees of this church, we will find peace in knowing that we don’t have to worry about what our church will look like in the future, because God already has a perfect plan in the works.

I pray that as members of the Church Board, our decisions will be made not on the basis of our own conclusions, but on the council of the God who already knows what this church needs.

I pray for our Pastoral Staff, that they will not find themselves overwhelmed with the task of figuring out the road ahead, but will have peace in trusting the road God has already planned for us.

Jacob McCleary