Dear LORD, as Christian teachers, we are susceptible to losing our joy for many reasons: problems with our work-life blend; interactions with difficult people (staff, students, parents, family, or friends), challenges at home, health issues, time constraints, unrealistic expectations from supervisors, frequent challenges and changes in systems, or sins and misjudgments in our own lives. But, Lord, we praise You for Your sacrificial love on our behalf. There is none like You. By Your sacrifice, Lord, we can have Your Spirit and the fruit of Your Spirit including joy (Gal 5:22).
Lord, please renew our souls and sustain our joy as we work in our schools each day. Let us be filled with the hope that You promise to act in every circumstance to bring about good for those who love You and who are called according to Your purpose (Rom 8:28). As we expect good outcomes in every situation, because of Your all-knowing faithfulness and goodness, cause joy to spring up within us.
Lord, we desire that You will work through us for Your glory in our students and we trust that You shine the light of Your presence and love through us each day, whether we feel strong or weak. We praise You for this promise and the joy that it brings. Let us live in the knowledge of Your work in us and walk in God-glorifying joy because of it.
Lord, we recognize that You are the only source of true joy and this comes from our awareness of Your grace and favor – You lean toward us in all Your goodness. We praise You that this joy opposes sorrow and is a result of faith. It is a result of our blessedness as we are seated in heavenly places (Eph 2:1-10). For this reason, all of Your blessings are upon us. Let us be radiant with cheerfulness and calm delight.
We especially praise You that Your work on the cross, on our behalf, is coupled with Your gift of the Holy Spirit as our helper in every moment. Your endless gifts in our moment of salvation result in rest, freedom, and spiritual healing. What joy! You give us a sense of acceptance with God, communion with You, and stillness before You as we recognize Your all-bright and beautiful character. Indeed, we have clear consciences and a quiet peace within our hearts as we trust You.
Lord, we also experience joy when You are the object of our worship and the reason for our work. Because You have brought us spiritual health, we may work as the body of Christ which brings gladness. Keep our eyes on You, the light of our eternal hope, and our deep, abiding joy.
Our gifts through Your work on the cross include even more. Lord, we praise You for the joy that You remove the fears before us, and our inner strife. In You, we can be free from the conflict between our consciences and our inclinations. In You, we can walk in power over our will and our passions. In You, we can experience the joy of the Lord as we become free from the sins that tear our hearts down and make sorrow and agitation. In You, our sense of sin is removed and our angry, stinging consciences are healed.
Lord, how we praise You for the joy we have in Christ Jesus. Let our joy overflow to everyone we work with. Let it energize our planning and grading, our counsel and instruction. Let Your joy be a light in our lives, attracting others to worship You as we celebrate Your presence and Your work within us. Let us be powerful witnesses for You as we live as Your holy servants, who enjoy the power of the Holy Spirit working through us, stamping out grief, and making the joy of the Lord our strength (Neh 8:10). We pray these things in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Planted by Streams 