Make Me Alive Again
Psalm 143 in Conversation
Last week in this space, we spent time with Psalm 42—a prayer for the spiritually thirsty.
This week, Psalm 143 brings a quieter kind of honesty. If Psalm 42 is a cry of longing, Psalm 143 is a sigh of exhaustion.
It’s the voice of someone who isn’t just longing, but tired—worn down, drained, running on empty. Maybe you’ve been there—or find yourself there now.
And maybe that’s fitting for this time of year. Thanksgiving and Christmas are approaching, and many of us feel the weight more than the joy—the pace quickens, old griefs resurface, and expectations rise. Scripture doesn’t pretend those moments don’t exist.
As we step into the third and final week of our Faith & Mental Health series, perhaps Psalm 143 meets us right where many of us actually are—a little tired, a little worn thin, still trying to trust that God is near.
If this prayer speaks to you, let it be yours this week. May you sense God’s love drawing you toward life.
A Prayer from Psalm 143
Some days, Lord,
I just feel worn out.
Not in a dramatic way—
just that familiar heaviness
that settles into the bones
and makes everything take a little more effort than it should.
My spirit feels tired inside me.
My heart feels numb.
I’m still here, still showing up, still trying to be faithful—
but I need your help.
I need your breath.
Make me alive again.
When the morning comes too early,
and my motivation comes too slowly—
make me alive again.
When the fog settles in,
and decisions feel harder to make—
guide me by your good spirit…
and make me alive again.
When sadness sits in my chest,
or fear steals my focus—
make me alive again.
When hope feels small,
and my capacity feels even smaller—
make me alive again.
And when I forget
that you are near,
that you care,
that you lead,
that you give life—
whisper it back to me
until my heart remembers.
You’ve carried me before.
Carry me now.
Lift my spirit.
Strengthen my steps.
Renew my heart.
Make me alive again, Lord—
in the ways only you can.
Much love,
Pastor Gregg
