A Lenten Prayer for BIG Problems
Several months ago, I felt touched deeply by my friend’s painful situation. Helplessly, she watches as her beloved child deals with prescription drug addiction.
I found myself feeling annoyed by a well-meaning Christian’s comment about my friend’s child. Before my annoyance was allowed to simmer into a boiling anger, the Spirit seemed to ask me to set aside my irritation and simply pray for my friend’s child. I said, Okay, Lord, I’ll do that, and have done so almost daily since.
Along the way, I’ve seemed to hear the invitation of the “still, small voice” to add others to the prayer time. Now, there are six—all broken people who have made unwise choices and responded to life’s pain in ways that have had heart-rending consequences. I also felt I needed to assume a certain prayer posture while petitioning God on behalf of these six wounded souls, which has added a depth of meaning to my prayers.
Truthfully, most days I feel inadequate, aware, the needs are so BIG! And my prayers feel so SMALL. Does God hear? Are these folks beyond help, too deeply enmeshed in the nets of addiction and dysfunction? I believe on a “head” level that God does care, and these people are not hopeless, but my humanity has a pesky way of inserting itself into my prayers.
On February 11th, a prayer from a Dominican Sister encouraged me. Sr. Megan McElroy’s petition was made on behalf of victims of the recent earthquake disasters in Syria and Turkey. So many BIG needs!
To the God whom I imagine we both believe is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing) and omnipresent (always/everywhere present), the opening line of her prayer resonates: [God,] Prayer is what we have to offer.
She then continues:
so we beg you please, bring hope to the desperate,
comfort to those who have lost loved ones,
healing to those injured,
strength of spirit to rescue workers,
generosity of heart to other nations.*
Using this Benedictine nun’s model, I wrote a prayer for the six individuals for whom I have felt led to pray:
Almighty, All-Knowing, and Always-Present God,
You know the gravity of these six people’s needs.
Please hear my prayer on their behalf.
Sometimes—like right now—prayer is all I have to offer.
Loving God, I ask You to show them grace and mercy;
Jesus, will you cause redemptive love to permeate their wounded souls;
Holy Spirit, work in those mysterious ways that are far beyond my comprehension.
Open the eyes of their understanding to see, the ears of their broken hearts to hear.
Free their souls from strong cords of guilt and shame.
Make Your love and Your grace sufficient to fill every empty hole in their spirits.
Amen
During this season of Lent, if you are talking to God about a BIG need, and you wonder if God cares and hears, I hope these few words will shine a ray of hopeful light into your soul.
I’m praying with you!
* Megan McElroy, OP, Dominican Sisters – Grand Rapids www.grdominicans.org, 2/11/2023