December takes more out of pastors than most will ever see. As the calendar fills and the needs of the flock intensify, the preacher may feel stretched, tired, and even a little frayed. Yet Christmas is not a season of pressure, but of grace, the God who comes near, not because we are strong, but because we are weak. This short prayer is offered for every weary expositor who longs for quietness of heart and renewed joy in Christ.

A Prayer for Weary Shepherds

Lord Jesus Christ,

We draw near to You at the end of another long year, thankful, yet tired. Our words have sometimes felt thin. Our strength has often been small. Our hearts, though Yours, have not always been warm. We confess that ministry has sometimes become a task to manage rather than a grace to receive.

And so we come to You, the One who took on flesh, who entered our weakness, who became like us in every way yet without sin. You know the weight we carry, the pressures we feel, the limits we cannot escape. You know the quiet battles, the hidden burdens, and the fatigue that settles in the soul.

“A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench.”

Lord, steady us again with this truth. You do not despise weakness. You meet us in it. You uphold us with Your strength. You gently restore what is worn and give rest to what is weary.

As we prepare to preach the wonder of Your birth, let the truth of the incarnation soften our hearts. Give us fresh amazement that You, the eternal Word, became a child in order to redeem us. Let this truth fall on us with weight and warmth.

Make our preaching simple, sincere, and full of Christ. Protect us from the pressures of the season, the expectations, comparisons, and fears that crowd out joy. Give us clarity when our minds feel full, and peace when our hearts feel scattered.

And as we shepherd Your people this month, let us remember that they, too, are weary. Help us speak with gentleness, lead with patience, and minister with compassion. Season our words with grace. Guard our tone. Make us instruments of Your comfort.

Lord Jesus, You are our rest. You are our peace. You are our joy. Lift our eyes from our limits to Your sufficiency. Renew us with the hope of the gospel we proclaim. And let this Christmas be marked not by our strength, but by Your mercy at work in fragile vessels.

In Your tender and mighty name,
Amen.