Six of us were on retreat last weekend and one of us suggested a way to focus a late afternoon conversation in the sunshine. He invited us to listen to a reading of today’s prayer and chat about which desire or fear caught our attention.

After hearing the prayer twice, we each easily identified at least one word that challenged us. It was also clear that regardless of the word one selected it connected with all of the rest of us – just the common human experience.

Unhealthy desire and fear create all sorts of destructive and self-destructive behaviour. We recognize we need God’s food and the help of friends to embrace with grace the praise, honour, approval, humiliation, suffering and hurt that inevitably come our way.

A Prayer for Today

From the desire of being praised, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honoured, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of comfort and ease, deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being criticized, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being passed over, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being lonely, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being hurt deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering, deliver me, Jesus.

0 Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours.
0 Jesus, meek and humble of heart, strengthen me with your Spirit.
0 Jesus, meek and humble of heart, teach me your ways.

© May 7, 2012 Touchstone Ministries Inc.