God, we pray today for impossible situations–
places where it seems
impossible to bring peace,
impossible to find joy,
impossible to move forward in any way
that does not wrench the heart of the world.

In every impossible situation,
Let us meet violence with peace,
Let us offer love,
Let us do good work even if it feels futile.
Let us not be afraid to shed tears
Nor to insist on joy.

By your grace and in your mercy,
Remind us that, with you, nothing is impossible.
Amen

This opening prayer might also be helpful for this week:

Holy One,
In this time of worship, we have come as we are, with our doubts and imperfections.
Have mercy on us O God.
We are distracted by unfinished work and unresolved questions.
Have mercy on us, O God.
Our hearts are heavy with the sorrows of the world and of our own lives.
Have mercy on us, O God.
We don’t really know why we are here or what we are doing.
Have mercy on us, O God.
As we gather to worship you, who are more than we can understand or imagine,
have mercy on us, O God.
Amen