A PRAYER FOR THE WORLD

Whether you believe or not I feel we can all benefit from a prayer as we approach the end of another year and welcome the next. For many, there have been or will be challenges to face and some of you may need some comfort at various times in your life.  You may also be looking for answers and direction and hope.  I believe that our first step starts with learning how to have a personal relationship with God.  One way to start if you haven’t already, is to pray from your heart in your own words.  So here is my prayer for the world…

Dear God,

Give us all the grace to not only know “of” you, but to also know that you are ever present “within” us and in our daily lives if we choose to let you in and guide us.  Give us the dedication and persistence to allowing you to work in our lives so that we may continuously live in your blessings.  Give us the patience and determination to teach our children and those in great spiritual need about your kind ways and your loving heart.  Let us be ambitious in our pursuit to getting to know you on a personal deep level by believing in what we cannot see and allowing faith to come forward in times of doubt.  Let us pause in moments of silent trust, to wait patiently to hear your voice, your direction and feel your presence in our souls.

Let us trust you with all our might especially when faced with challenges and heartache.  Help us to press on with hope and determination even in times of great sorrow.  When our belief in you is faced with skeptics and our own confusion gets in our way, please help us to remain steadfast in devotion to getting to know you with all our hearts so that your plan and purpose may unfold and triumph in our lives. 

Sometimes this path is lonely and we cannot hear your voice and we are tempted to veer in our own directions, but just as we start to step away please let us be aware that your hand is gently touching our shoulders pulling us back into your forgiving arms.  Your patient, all knowing presence is like a light that shines not on our faults and not to expose our dark wavering, but it shines with encouragement and love in your timing as you guide our steps through doors of truth and joy.  Even when those around us cast their shadow of doubt and pose questions and twist and confuse teachings of you, let us stay rooted as witnesses to your good works and help us continue to carry out these works for you in this world in the hopes that we can make a lasting peaceful difference. 

Even in tragedies and trials let us be witnesses of your miracles and continue to lift our souls up when life’s heaviness weighs us down.  Give us glimpses of hope when we are weary.  Keep us faithful when conflict challenges us.  Help us to have patience when are tempted by a hurried life and blind to your perfect timing.  Make us inspirations to those who struggle to believe in you and to those who are lost in anger, resentment and blame.  Put forgiveness in our hearts when we feel we cannot move forward from grudges and hurts.  Lift us from our own shame, jealousies and judgements and help us to treat others and ourselves with careful attention and compassion.  Teach us to pull down the curtains that hide our selfishness so that we may be free to move past our own restraints.  Give us wings to cross the valley of fears and comfort us when sadness presents itself and wants to stay.  Shelter us with your shield of protection when our hearts are exposed to an unforgiving world and let us always make you the priority that directs our words and actions.  Guide our steps, clear our path and always lead us back to your love where we will find peace and rest forever.

Amen.

Sheri