honeypig

I was listening to an audiobook by Anne Lamott last night called "Help, Thanks, Wow: The 3 Essential Prayers", and she referred to this prayer by Thomas Merton.

The sense it conveys of not knowing clearly what to do or what is best, yet moving forward in faith that we are somehow being guided, resonated so strongly with me that I wanted to share the prayer here. It's from "Thoughts in Solitude" in case anyone wants to go further. And altho the prayer in its original form refers to "God", I think certainly it can be read and understood in a variety of ways depending on the shape one's personal beliefs may take.

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”

CentralOhioDad

Awesome, thank you!

firebolt

<3 THank you

hopeful4

Thank you for sharing that HP!

SeriousKarma

I love me some Merton!

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.

This makes me think of the child that joyfully makes toast for there parent. The toast may be burnt, but the parent eats it anyway, smiling the whole time.

Thanks Honeypig

honeypig

SK, yes, for those of us who have focused so relentlessly on "doing it right", doing it perfectly, the belief that doing the best we know how really IS good enough takes such a burden off our shoulders...

And the toast analogy is a great one--thanks for that!

Ann

That's a wonderful prayer and as someone who has probably disappointed God a few times, it's reassuring to know that he knows I am trying.

Thank you for the prayer and remibder.

Hugs

honeypig

Bumping this up--I was reading through some old threads and was once again moved by this prayer, wanted to share it again.

FarmhouseGal

Sobertoday54

Eauchiche

What a great prayer!!! I must get to know St. Thomas Merton.

Bekindalways

Not a saint. He was a Cistercian monk and wrote some great stuff. He ,along with a lot of catholics, was a bit of a muck-it-up but I kind of like that about him. He would fit right in here with all of us!