My Desk is Tired - A Prayer for Those Who Are Working From Home - Reflection by Canon Ellen

Be still, and know that I am God!
Psalm 46.10
 
I am very fortunate to have the room for a desk set up in an office in our house. I know it’s a luxury to be able to have a space that I don’t have to pack away or share with anyone else. But, this week my desk is tired. It has had to endure me sitting at it for quite a lot of time and it is now covered in interesting papers and books that really do need to go back on shelves or at least in a tidy pile.

I suspect those of us who are working from home are feeling the strain of juggling zoom meetings, phone calls, writing reports, reflecting, hitting deadlines and preparing sermons (okay, not everyone who is working from home will be preparing sermons!). Whatever your role, working from home (if you’re not used to it) is a challenge in lockdown. Perhaps you are living alone and finding the lines between working, resting and being at leisure are being blurred. Or you are living with other people who have different patterns and you are finding it hard to fit work and rest and leisure around them. Whatever, the scenario the balance between home and work life has changed. Lockdown ‘working from home’ is a very unusual home-working experience.

This week has been particularly hard for me. I haven’t got that balance right. I zoomed too much and by Wednesday teatime I had a migraine that wiped me out. Having spoken to a few people I think this week has been hard for many of us. We are tired, unable to take proper time away and struggling to find new ways to rest and recharge. Though of course we are very grateful to have jobs, lockdown is taking its toll on home-workers. If you are one of these people who are struggling to get a balance then you will be in my prayers this week. 

Loving God,
I thank you that I have good work to do and a job I enjoy.
I thank you that I have the resources to do this work: a sturdy desk, the internet, a computer, and technology that help me keep connected to people.
I pray that in all I do I will seek the common good and bring you glory in my work.
But today I am tired and I need a rest.
I am looking forward to my Sabbath:
Help me to use this time to rest…to really rest.
In the name of your son Jesus who came to save.
Amen.

While you're here:
Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html.