prayer

A Prayer for When I Feel Scattered

God, sometimes I feel scattered, blown about by the wind. My brain is going in a thousand directions at once, like leaves on a blustery autumn day. Stress and worry overwhelm me. I can’t get a grip on where I am or what I am doing or even what my priorities are. Everything feels so important that I spend my day frantically “doing,” but I feel defeated because the most important things still are not done. On days like this, I lack focus and perspective because I am not connecting with you. I am just doing to do, as a means of trying to control my stress and manage my anxiety about my overwhelming to-do list, when – in actuality – I’m not controlling or managing anything at all.

Enable me to slow down…pause…breathe…

Speak into the disarray of this blustery day and say: “Peace, be still.” Bring stillness to the chaos. Help me to let go of everything I am holding onto with clenched fists. As I open my hands, help me open my heart to you. Renew our connection as you draw my awareness to your presence within me, the calm that comes when I am attentive to you. Empower me to rest in your presence for as long as I need to.

Then, help me to consider: Who am I called to be? What tasks are mine to do? What can be left undone?

When it is time, enable me to begin again with open hands, a renewed heart, and an attentive mind. And if I am blown by the wind, may it be the wind of your gentle, guiding Spirit showing me the way…not toward productivity, but toward wholeness and life with you. Amen.

One thought on “A Prayer for When I Feel Scattered

  1. Thanks for this beautiful piece! So many of us are feeling “blown about” right now. It’s reassuring to know it’s okay to wait for the Spirit to gently blow us where he needs us!

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