two prayers for trust....
I often wonder: Am I doing the right thing? It is so easy to be lead astray by what we "think" is the right choice, only to find that we have erred in what we have perceived. I have found these two prayers to be helpful as I discern just what it is that I am to be doing. I hope you find comfort in them as well:
Dear Jesus,
Help me to spread Your fragrance everywhere I go.
Flood my soul with Your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly, that my life may only be a radiance of Yours.
Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul.
Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus!
Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others; the light, O Jesus will be all from You; none of it will be mine; it will be you, shining on others through me.
Let me thus praise You the way You love best, by shining on those around me.
Let me preach You without preaching, not by words but by my example, by the catching force of the sympathetic influence of what I do, the evident fullness of the love my heart bears to You.
Amen. ~John Henry Newman
Dear Jesus,
Help me to spread Your fragrance everywhere I go.
Flood my soul with Your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly, that my life may only be a radiance of Yours.
Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul.
Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus!
Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others; the light, O Jesus will be all from You; none of it will be mine; it will be you, shining on others through me.
Let me thus praise You the way You love best, by shining on those around me.
Let me preach You without preaching, not by words but by my example, by the catching force of the sympathetic influence of what I do, the evident fullness of the love my heart bears to You.
Amen. ~John Henry Newman
Rev, I have read this and found it to be true, maybe it can be thus for you as well: "it is ultimately my faith in a loving God that has held me together during the darkest of times. When nothing else could convince me to stick around, I became a scared child in the arms of God—and reminded myself that I didn’t have to do anything or write anything or be anyone for God to love me and use me as an instrument of his great love. God is the reason I can be Sincere. And so it is with you."
ReplyDeleteI know of your darkness of the soul times. Just know others care and are with you!
I can't sleep, so I am gonna use this time to ramble once again. I read your prayers over and over- the first line of the second prayer says it all. I don't know for certain where I am going either. This is why us drunks are told to just take it one day at a time. I don't use the word drunks callously, it's just that I recognize what I am. It's too bad that others can't see themselves for what they are. Many are hypocrites and like to hurt others with words/actions or inactions. me, I just go about my life and try to do no harm. Have I failed people? you damn betcha I have. My family, many friends, but the ones who have stood by me are the ones I know I can trust. Do I have regrets? well who among us don't? If you say you don't, you are a liar, because none of us is perfect. I was thinking about your post yesterday...gratitude and ingratitude. When was the last time I thanked anybody? So first of all, I went to my son and thanked him for putting up with an old codger like me. and I was sincere. I chuckled at rob's response. I know what he meant and that meant so much to me. To know one is loved for just being who they are...even with my imperfect days, well, it makes this ol' man cry. So, Rev thanks again. I hope your days go well. Don't let others get to ya...you have a kind heart.
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