Create Your Own Prayer

Finding Joy

Aug 20

A Reflection by Christine Jurisich

All this month, I am inviting you to reflect on your growth and to try a practice. This week’s practice may help you uncover an area of growth you are being called to. One thing I like to do when I am in deep discernment is write a prayer to help me focus my thoughts and intentions.

I wrote a prayer for the Retreat, Reflect, Renew team to use during a 16-month discernment process and creation of a strategic plan, one that invited us to listen with intention and to notice God’s voice in the process. Below are the headings from that prayer, along with some questions. I invite you to practice listening to the still voice of God by creating your own prayer. Use the bolded headings (from the prayer I wrote) for structure and the italicized questions as prompts to write the prayer within you.

God of Compassion, Liberation, and Light,

What do you hope for when you pray for God's guidance?

Open my heart to the people who:

What kind of advice or observations are people telling you?

Open my eyes and mind to how You want me to respond.

What is your gut instinct?

In what ways is your body reacting?

How do you feel about this decision?

Is there missing information or point of view you still need to find and explore?

Open all of me. Give me the grace to surrender in a way that:

How do I trust I can know what God is saying to me?

In what ways does God speak?

God of Mercy,

Help me see the signs of hope in the here and now, no matter what else is going on. Affirm my openness to the journey of exploring, learning, and listening.