A few years ago after several consecutive days of conversations with friends and fellow church members who sensed their world was coming unraveled, I sensed the weight of the many concerns entrusted to me in a short period of time. As is my pastoral practice, I isolated myself in my study to pray over their many concerns and to process what was happening in the lives of those in our congregation and community.

While I was glad to hear their stories, privately and confidentially, I found myself wishing I could gather all of them in the same room to say something like, “You are not alone. Others in this room are also having a tough time. There are ways you can help each other through this.” And, “In the tough moments, do not give up. Press on!”

Although I could not bring such a group together, in my journal, I jotted down what I wished I could say to them, and I included anonymously many of the real life dilemmas that had been recently shared with me. I included these words at the end of a sermon the next week and in the church newsletter the following week.

Now we are in another season where many around the world are having a tough time, and once again I sense a cumulative heaviness deep in my soul. As I am praying for many current concerns, I recognize that the dilemmas that throw us into a spiritual or emotional tailspin haven’t changed much. When life is tough, we have to be tougher. When storms arise and fears dismay, we are called to “press on” with patience and perseverance.

Here are the words I shared then that are still pertinent now:

“Life is a fragile gift that often unfair, frequently unpredictable, and mostly uphill.
The journey requires faith, courage, and determination.
There will be moments when your commitment will be challenged and your motivation will waver.
When you are tempted to give up or give in, press on!
When life throws you a curve ball and the unexpected happens, press on!
When you have a bad case of the blues or you are suffering deep down depression, press on!
When you get angry at the incompetence of a neighbor or colleague, press on!
When you are at the foot of the mountain about to begin the uphill journey of recovery, press on!
When you are at the beginning of the treatment regimen, one that suppresses your appetite and oppresses your spirit, press on!
When you are tired of being tired, and sick of people being sick, press on!
When your friends are difficult to deal with or your family is difficult to live with, press on!
When you move to a new town or begin at a new school, and you are the stranger, press on!
When you feel lonely and isolated, even in a crowd, press on!
When the news is filled with gloom and doom, press on!
When your workplace is dominated by chaos or conflict, press on!
When you are tempted to settle for mediocrity,, or on the verge of losing your integrity, press on!
When death or disease takes away someone you love, in the power of the Spirit, press on!
Putting the past behind us and the future before us, let us press on toward higher ground!”

(Barry Howard serves as the pastor at the Church at Wieuca in north Atlanta. He also serves as a columnist and leadership coach with the Center for Healthy Churches.)

Sometimes you hear a song and it keeps playing in your head long after you have heard it. Such was the case around 2015 when I heard our choir sing the anthem “Press On.” At that time these words were especially relevant for me and other members of our congregation who had experienced grief, extra stress, job loss, property damage from storms, and/or family fragmentation.

The lyrics begin like this:

When the valley is deep
When the mountain is steep
When the body is weary
When we stumble and fall

When the choices are hard
When we’re battered and scarred
When we’ve spent our resources
When we’ve given our all

In Jesus’ name, we press on
In Jesus’ name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize, clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on.

Through the years I have practiced the discipline of writing prayers, including personal prayers, prayers for worship, and prayers for weddings, funerals, celebrations, dedications, and other special occasions. Most of my prayers are brief, primarily because I think God is a fast listener and doesn’t need to hear me wax on at length, except on those occasions where I need to unload and God willingly lends an ear for as I long as I need to lament, confess, or seek God’s counsel.

The morning after first hearing the anthem, I was still hearing the anthem. So during my devotional time, I scribbled down a prayer for me, my congregation, my friends, and my family to find the strength to press on.

This week as we have been dealing with yet another surge of virus-related risks and as my phone has been buzzing with news of friends who are sick and others who have passed to the other side, I have pulled out this prayer and reclaimed it as my prayer for all of us to find strength for the living of these days:

A Prayer to Press On

“As we navigate the twists and turns of life
grant us the wisdom to press on.
As we seize opportunities and confront obstacles
grant us to courage to press on.
As we deal with the grind of daily decision-making
grant us the insight to press on.
As we aim to live with passion and purpose
grant us the energy to press on.
When we encounter difficult people and difficult situations
grant us the savvy to press on.
When we experience worry and anxiety
grant us the peace to press on.
When we are perplexed and concerned about the future
grant us the vision to press on.
When the unexpected revises our plans
grant us the patience to press on.
When doubts arise and fears dismay
grant us the stability to press on.
As we practice justice and mercy
grant us the courage to press on.
Wherever our journey takes us
In the overcoming power of your Spirit
empower us to press on.”

In the good times and the tough times let us “press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:13).

(Barry Howard serves as pastor of the Church at Wieuca in north Atlanta. He also serves as a leadership coach and columnist with the Center for Healthy Churches.)