Whenever I’ve run out of things to pray about, I can take a look at this list:
- I can pray for all the people who have used me, manipulated me, walked all over me or taken me for granted. I can ask God to give these people every good thing that I would want for myself. In fact, I could ask God to give them good things instead of giving them to me.
- I can pray for people who have no sense of having harmed me, when they have.
- I can pray for forgiveness for all the mean, petty, selfish, inconsiderate things I have done lately.
- I can pray for freedom from deep-seated anger, my inability to let go with humility, and with surrender to God’s desire for my peace of mind.
- I can pray for the grace to speak plainly and honestly at all times with those in my environments.
- I can pray for the grace to bear with the trial of loving my neighbor when it’s particularly inconvenient.
- I can pray for those who are experiencing the same difficulties that I have, that God will find cause in my suffering to alleviate theirs.
- I can pray for my prejudices to become apparent to me, enabling me to see past them to the goodness, worth and dignity of all people, no matter who they are, what they have done, or what they believe.
- I can pray that God will show me my stinginess, which I paint prettier and justify and rationalize
- I can pray for deeper gratitude for the abundant blessings in my life, and for the grace to remember that my gratitude is cause to uplift others and God, and not occasion to think better of myself for being so grateful.
- I can pray for the people who right at this moment are dying with hardened and embittered hearts, that the light of Jesus Christ will so overwhelm their conscience that they can utter deep in their spirits a simple “I’m sorry.”
- I can pray that in every circumstance of my life I can see myself standing in God’s presence as I think, say and do.
- I can pray that my religion is more than some pious notion, more than a few half-hearted prayers, more than two dollars in the collection basket – but a commitment of head and hand and heart, of my life, all of it, turned over, turned inside out, sold out to Jesus Christ; a religion so radical that it just doesn’t go well with the world and its ways; a religion so radical that the world laughs and pokes fun. – T.R.
written by Thomas A. Russell
first published in the Lafayette Sunday Visitor on May 10th, 1987
- I can pray for all the people who have used me, manipulated me, walked all over me or taken me for granted. I can ask God to give these people every good thing that I would want for myself. In fact, I could ask God to give them good things instead of giving them to me.
- I can pray for people who have no sense of having harmed me, when they have.
- I can pray for forgiveness for all the mean, petty, selfish, inconsiderate things I have done lately.
- I can pray for freedom from deep-seated anger, my inability to let go with humility, and with surrender to God’s desire for my peace of mind.
- I can pray for the grace to speak plainly and honestly at all times with those in my environments.
- I can pray for the grace to bear with the trial of loving my neighbor when it’s particularly inconvenient.
- I can pray for those who are experiencing the same difficulties that I have, that God will find cause in my suffering to alleviate theirs.
- I can pray for my prejudices to become apparent to me, enabling me to see past them to the goodness, worth and dignity of all people, no matter who they are, what they have done, or what they believe.
- I can pray that God will show me my stinginess, which I paint prettier and justify and rationalize
- I can pray for deeper gratitude for the abundant blessings in my life, and for the grace to remember that my gratitude is cause to uplift others and God, and not occasion to think better of myself for being so grateful.
- I can pray for the people who right at this moment are dying with hardened and embittered hearts, that the light of Jesus Christ will so overwhelm their conscience that they can utter deep in their spirits a simple “I’m sorry.”
- I can pray that in every circumstance of my life I can see myself standing in God’s presence as I think, say and do.
- I can pray that my religion is more than some pious notion, more than a few half-hearted prayers, more than two dollars in the collection basket – but a commitment of head and hand and heart, of my life, all of it, turned over, turned inside out, sold out to Jesus Christ; a religion so radical that it just doesn’t go well with the world and its ways; a religion so radical that the world laughs and pokes fun. – T.R.
written by Thomas A. Russell
first published in the Lafayette Sunday Visitor on May 10th, 1987
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