struggles remind us we're alive, happiness reminds us we're not alone.

God,

Sooth me in my time of hopelessness, lead me in my time of blindness, forgive me in my time of foolishness.

Make small my worries of this world – my worries of the future, of body image issues, of a career of “fulfillment” defined by worldly measures – make them small. Let me see the worries of my life with the grandness of your story. Let me know that you are our God, the one who made the earth and the stars, the one who knew me before I was on this earth.

Let me know that things will be okay, in ways that I can or cannot imagine, because You are my God. Grant me urgency for your kingdom for I fall quickly into complacency. Let sin not distort my vision as it turns idols to gods in my life. Grant me a vision that sees only your glory, the glory I constantly fail to represent. Be with me in my aimless wandering as I do not know what I do.

Lord, I am not thankful when I ought to be. I cannot even mutter words of praise from my bitter heart so please, please, God, grant me words of prayer. I know not where I am going, where I am to be. Grant me direction and a thankful heart, even when my compass isn’t working. Even when the world feels weighty on my shoulders. I know I don’t pray nearly enough, Lord, forgive me, the sinner. Not only do I come short, I know I come short and yet I do nothing to stop it.

Lord, please, be with me, when no one else is in the room.