I (Bill) was terrified the first time I was asked to be the keynote speaker at a ministry conference. Of course, I was excited at first. But then I started thinking about it…
They probably only asked me because somebody had to cancel.
I’m not equipped to speak to this group of people.
The other speakers are more talented than I am.
I told myself to stop being afraid. But my fears only got louder when I attempted to force myself into feeling confident.
The last thing I wanted to do was embarrass myself (or God) in front of so many people! I wanted to share what he had put on my heart because I believed it would draw others closer to Jesus. But my anxiety made me consider calling the event’s leaders and cancelling altogether.
Sadly, intense feelings of anxiety were not uncommon for me in the early days of my ministry. I used to wake up to pressure-filled thoughts swirling around my head. I was constantly grinding as I attempted to do more and do better when it came to ministry.
Maybe you can relate in your work as a missionary. Your effort to make disciples of all the world and teach them the ways of Rabbi Jesus makes a weighty difference for the Kingdom of God (Matthew 28:18-20).
But it’s tempting to carry this weight yourself instead of letting Jesus help you shoulder the load in his easy yoke (Matthew 11:28-30).
All of us can fall into the trap of serving others for Jesus instead of with Jesus. Yet his design for ministry is to be with us always (Matthew 11:20). Practically speaking, his invitation is to invite others into our apprenticeship of him — teaching them to follow him as we are also learning and growing (John 15:5; 1 Corinthians 11:1).
I came to accept that being a perfect conference speaker would be impossible. Thankfully, God entrusted me with understanding I was a “work in progress.” This empowered me to joyfully and lovingly serve others at the conference as a student of Jesus. It helped me rely on God’s grace instead of pretending to be a “professional pastor” who had all the answers.
It might surprise you to learn that leading others as a student of Jesus will make you less anxious and more fruitful in your role as a missionary. Letting go of self-reliance allows you to experience the freedom of walking in the grace of the Spirit’s power, wisdom, and gentle leadership (John 14:26; 2 Corinthians 12:9).
So how can you grow as a student-leader of Jesus?
The Apprentice Prayer led me into a spiritual renewal when I was forty. This simple, heartfelt prayer helps me to devote my mind, heart, and body to Jesus daily by centering myself around what matters most — apprenticing to Christ.
The Apprentice Prayer is similar to a classic prayer of consecration. Some of our spiritual heroes throughout the centuries have used powerful, structured prayers like this to commit themselves to love and serve the Lord. Thousands of ministry leaders like you have prayed this prayer along with Kristi and me to experience spiritual rejuvenation.
Praying this prayer empowers me to wrestle “ministry anxiety” off me upon waking up in the morning. It helps me to quiet my soul and remember that I’m with Jesus in the Father’s world (Luke 17:21). It brings me great peace and power as I go about my day as a student of the Lord Christ.
Ready to learn The Apprentice Prayer? Take a deep breath, cast your cares upon Jesus, and rest in his loving leadership as we pray…
The Apprentice Prayer
Jesus, I love you! Father, I adore you! Holy Spirit, I rely on you!
Lord Jesus, I seek to live as your apprentice in all that I do today. My life is your school for teaching me. I relinquish my agenda for this day, and I submit myself to you and your Kingdom purposes. In all situations today, I pray, “Your will, your way, your time.”
Dear Father, I ask you to ordain the events of this day and use them to make me more like Jesus. I trust you, Sovereign Lord, that you won’t let anything happen to my family or me today, except that it passes through your loving hands. So no matter what problems, hardships, or injustices I face today, help me not to worry or get frustrated, but instead to relax in the yoke of your providence. Yes, today I will rejoice because I am in your eternal kingdom, you love me, and you are teaching me!
My Lord, I devote my whole self to you. I want to be all and only for Jesus! Today, I seek to love you with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, all my strength, and all my relationships.
Today, I depend on you, Holy Spirit, not my own resources. Help me to keep in step with you. Today, I look to love others as you love me, dear God, blessing everyone I meet, even those who mistreat me.
Today, I’m ready to lead people to follow you, Jesus.
Amen.
How to Use The Apprentice Prayer
This prayer trains your heart, mind, body, and entire being to live as Jesus’ apprentice (1 Timothy 4:7). It can help you to…
Rejoice in the Lord during trials.
Submit to his Kingdom in all that you do.
Listen to what God is teaching you through the events of your day.
Entrust yourself and loved ones to the Father’s providential and loving care. Place your ministry in God’s hands and learn to partner with Jesus to sacrificially bless others.
We suggest praying this prayer each morning for the next thirty days. It’s helpful to pray slowly and repetitively to get the words deep inside you. The goal is for the spirit of the prayer to become your attitude as you go about your day.
Your life and ministry are a classroom where you can learn from Jesus as you walk with him. For this reason, you might want to pause on the parts of the prayer that resonate with you the most based on your current life circumstances and the challenges you face as a missionary. You can use it as a prompt to change the wording and talk to God personally. It’s always helpful to ask the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
I pray that you experience the lightness and freedom of apprenticing under Jesus in your life and ministry.
Looking to grow as an apprentice to Jesus? You can find more simple prayers of the heart by reading the book Breath Prayer Guides. There are forty meditations designed to help you grow in devotion to Jesus. They’ll be a blessing to your relationship with Jesus and ministry!
We also want to personally invite you to come on retreat with Soul Shepherding. Our retreats help pastors and missionaries like you go deeper with Jesus in emotional health and loving leadership. You’ll hear teaching, practice spiritual disciplines, and receive support tailored to your unique challenges as a missionary.
