“What do You want of me?” Part IV of IV

     There’s a danger in relying blindly on the thoughts, feelings, observations, and opinions of others.  Our perceptions are just that, how we see things.  In order to know the Truth about ourselves, another person, a situation…we must go to the only always reliable source: God.  The rest of us are liable to be confused by our own lie-based thinking and beliefs, tainted by our own experiences, our sinfulness, and skewed by our own perceptions.  Sometimes we’ll see part of what’s really there, and other times we’ll miss most of it. 

     I wrote a prayer a while back keeping all of this in mind, and I’ve shared it with others and prayed it often myself as a reminder of where my most authentic and brutally honest performance evaluation comes from. 

     “Lord, so often we seek the approval of our family, our friends, our colleagues, and society and are easily swayed by their opinions.  Please help us have courage enough to turn to You when we need guidance, and put Your view of us, Your wishes for our future, and Your thoughts about our words and actions, above those of other people around us.

     You alone know our hearts completely.  You alone know what is ultimately best for us.  Inspire us to spend more time listening to You so it is easier for us to separate Your will from our own and those of the people closest to us.  Protect us from despair and disillusionment by arming us with the truth, the strength to do Your will, and the wisdom to submit everything we are and have to You.  Amen.”                 Prayer written by Trisha Niermeyer Potter March 2008

Note: This post is the last of four in a series.  Click these links to read the first three posts: "What do You want of me?" Part I, Part II, Part III.