Sunday, March 1, 2009

A prayer for discernment

O, Lord,
I do not know what to ask you.
You alone know my real needs,
and you love me more
than I even know how to love.
Enable me to discern my true needs
which are hidden from me.
I ask for neither cross nor consolation;
I wait in patience for you.
My heart is open to you.
For your great mercy's sake,
come to me and help me.
Put your mark on me and heal me,
cast me down and raise me up.
Silently I adore your holy will
and your inscrutable ways.
I offer myself in sacrifice to you
and put all my trust in you.
I desire only to do your will.
Teach me how to pray
and pray in me, yourself.

--Vasily Drosdov Philaret, c. 1780 - 1867

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Amen.
I'm giving thanks that I know where I will be going next in ministry and pray today for the two congregations who will share my services May through July (current and new), after which I will be only at the second church. This allows more time to bring things to a close at my current interim, but also gives them the relief of paying for only half-time beginning May 1st. God is good. I wish I had been as sure of that in the wilderness.

Dr. Laura Marie Grimes said...

Praise God! Rejoicing with you, Songbird.