A Prayer for Containment
This blog post first appeared on ThinkingWorship.com. Re-published with permission.
A note from Editor, Amy Bratton: I used this prayer at the church plant I attend to pray with our small gathered group (safely spread across our space) this past Sunday. May it be a blessing to you as we all pray for Canada as we respond in light of our particular context to the global pandemic.
When we are tempted to be fearful, teach us peace.
When we are tempted to hoard, teach us generosity.
When we want to look only to the wellbeing of our own family, teach us to expand our care.
When we become overwhelmed and disengaged, teach us to feel the pain of others.
When we are financially unstable, teach us to find ways to live smaller.
When we are disappointed, teach us joy in sacrifice.
When we are tempted to despair, teach us to remember that you are still God, and that you are still good.
When we think we know it all, teach us to listen harder.
When we struggle to decide what to do in small ways, teach us to pray for those in positions of authority.
When we are tempted to despise the actions of others, teach us to see behind foolishness and negative behaviour to the hurt beneath.
When we respond to rising tension in haste and without consideration, teach us patience.
When we are tempted to blame others, teach us to have grace for decisions made in a time of fluctuating information and changing conditions.
When we are isolated, teach us to find ways to connect–with you and with others.
When we feel bored, teach us to expand our creativity.
When we feel alone, teach us to ask for help.
When we feel strong, teach us to care for those who are not.
When we are tempted to despondency, teach us to see all the varied goodness that surrounds us.
When we are tempted to be careless, teach us to see each action we take as resonating in the lives of others.
When we feel we can do nothing, teach us how very wrong we are.
Above all this, teach us to love.
Now more than ever.
Amen.