Simple Prayer

God reprimanded Job (Job 42:3) because his complaints in his suffering were, as he said, "words without knowledge." The Lord asked him if he intended to let his unthinking questions lead him to deny God's loving providence. It is precisely in the midst of such darkness that one's faith is most pointedly challenged. Just as a storm will deepen the root system of a wind-blown oak, so the storms of adversity are designed to root us deeper in our faith. Without an intrepid and stalward Christ-focused faith perduring through our dark storms, it is next to impossible to accept Paul's assertion that for those who love God and fit into his plans, all such things "work togther unto good" (Rom 8:28).

To let the Lord focus the spotlight of his loving providence on the dark moments of your life, try this simple prayer of surrender: 

Lord you've to the whole world in your hands. And now, Lord, you've got my problems in your hands - my seemingly insoluble problems that I have been worrying over incessantly. They look like big problems to me, Lord, but nothing's too big for you. If you can keep the earth spinning, and keep the galaxies in placeL if you can supervise all creation I guess you can manage my problems. My task is to refrain from worrying now; I've just got to trust you, believe you, love you. Help me to let go - to surrender to your loving providence in my life. Don't let me interfere with your solution to what were once my problems. They're yours now, Lord - these unique specialy problems. Take them, please, and solve them in your own way and in your own time. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

This excerpt is from the book Coping with Life's Darkest Moments, by John H. Hampsch,C.M.F., originally published by Queenship Publishing Company. It and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and audio/visual materials can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408.