A CRY FOR MERCY
Oh, Lord, my desires have been for anything and
everything but you? I am sorry that I have placed everything in my love
above you. I want You to be my Lord, Lord of my heart, mind, and soul. You
know me through and through.
I am trying to believe that nothing passes through my
life that isn't first okayed by You. I need You to embrace me and
care for me with Your divine love and compassion
Why do I keep expecting happiness ands satisfaction
outside of You? Why do I keep relating to You as "one" of
my many relationships, instead of the only important relationship in my
life? Why do I keep looking for popularity, respect from others, success,
acclaim, and sensual pleasure when I should be seeking You first? Why is
it so hard for me to make You number one in my life? What makes me so
afraid of surrendering myself totally to You?
Help me, O Lord, to let my old self die, to let die the
thousand big and small ways in which I am still beating myself up about
the past and trying to cling to false desires! Help me to be reborn in You
today and let me see the world through Your eyes. Help me learn to let my
actions, words, and thoughts become a hymn of praise to You.
I need Your loving grace to make it in this world as I
die to my old self and take on a new life in You. Please accept the seed
of trust I am planting in You as I travel the road to freedom.
Please take away my doubts about You and help me become
a friend You can trust to carry out Your ministry in this dark and lonely
world!
I believe You have redeemed me. I believe You have
forgiven me and now I make a fresh determination to keep my eyes on You!
Amen
An excerpt from Henry J. M. Nouwen's book A Cry for Mercy was the foundation of this prayer.