Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
This is my one-sentence prayer for Lent this year. It is just one sentence from a prayer often attributed to St. Francis. For me, in these pandemic times which have forced us to simplify, this one line is good.
I don’t know about your but I often confuse my work with the Lord’s work, and that is where I get into the most trouble. I am not the Lord of outcomes, nor am I the one who gets to change other people or control situations.
Lord, make me.
It takes humility to accept this, especially in the midst of our natural human arrogance. It takes humility and practice and intention – all pieces of my Lenten journey this year. I feel called this year to see what else I am letting control me – consumerism, wastefulness, gluttony. These are my personal battlegrounds that God and I are working on this year. Maybe you have some areas to work on as well? Lord, make us, remake us, teach us, lead us.
An instrument of God’s peace.
I pray God makes me into something God can use to create peace. I am not usually a peaceful person, so this is again will require discipline, intention and working with God. Centering prayer, investment in devotionals, fasting and silence will help to teach me to be about peace. Even chaotic times can teach me peace – what it is and what it is not. With God, I can be a peaceful instrument in times of chaos and change, and chaos and change are indeed before me.
Wherever you are, and however God is making and remaking you I pray for your Lenten journey. I pray that you find your church a place of learning and practice in your journey. I pray, also, that the communities and people around us see us and know us as instruments of God’s peace on this earth.
Amen!
Sarah