God,

I feel ashamed about this, but I need to be honest with you.

I feel so tired right now. Taking care of my parent feels like an endless task, and I’m not sure how much more I have to give.

I never imagined it would be like this. I never pictured myself in this role, holding everything together for someone who once held everything together for me. I am their strength when they are weak. I am their comfort when they are in pain. I am their advocate when they can’t speak for themselves. And yet, some days, I wonder who is holding me. Who is seeing the exhaustion in my heart? Who is catching me when I feel like I’m falling apart?

Lord, please give me the strength to keep going. I know you see me, even when I feel invisible, and overwhelmed. Even when I feel like I’m running on empty, you are there. Help me to remember that my efforts — no matter how small, no matter how imperfect, are seen. That they matter. That they are a reflection of your love. When I feel like I’m failing, when the guilt whispers that I should be doing more, remind me that just being here, just showing up, is enough.

I’m doing this because I love them. But, God, it’s so hard. The emotional weight of watching them suffer, the quiet fears I don’t say out loud, the constant worry that maybe I’m not doing as much as I possibly can — it’s a form of heaviness that I wasn’t prepared for. There are moments when I feel like I’m drowning in it, like I can’t catch my breath. Moments when I wonder if this will ever get easier or if this is just how life will be now.

Please give me peace, God. Help me to let go of the guilt that tells me I should be stronger, or that I should have all the answers. Help me to release the shame of my frustration, my exhaustion, my grief for the life I used to have. I don’t want to carry this alone. I can’t carry this alone. So, I’m giving it to you.

And God, please, be with my parent in their pain. Wrap them in comfort on the hard days. Bring them peace when their mind wanders. Give them strength when their body feels like it couldn’t possibly handle more. If I can’t take away their suffering, help me to be a steady presence within it. Help me to be the light in their darkness, the love that is always there, and always with them.

When the days feel long, and my own needs are slipping through my fingers, remind me that I don’t have to do this on my own. That you are walking beside me, that you are carrying the weight I can no longer carry. You are my refuge, God. You are my strength. You are my hope in this season.

Help me to stay patient, God. Help me to stay kind, and help me to never lose sight of the love that brought me here.

Amen