I woke up this morning and began my usual morning routine....coffee, checking emails, catching up on the news, listening to music. When my caffeine fix has kicked in, and I am more alert, I try to settle in for my quiet time. This morning I dug out a book that helped change my life a little over a year ago - Get Out of That Pit by Beth Moore. I am a person who struggles with depression - but I am coming face to face with my problem and trying to allow God to deliver me from it. I am blessed to have the help of a wonderful Christian family counselor who is walking me through this process.Back to the point at hand - I got this particular book out this morning because I can feel myself "slipping" again. It's almost as if the pit of depression calls out to me or something. My feet always seem to be so close to the edge, and it feels sometimes as if I can't get far enough away to not slide back. As I picked up the book and my Bible, a Bible bookmark fell out of my Bible that had been given to me by a friend this past Thursday night. Jerri is one of the incredible women in my small group, and she had brought back these bookmarks from Italy and had given one to each of us. There is a picture of St. Francis of Assisi on the front, and the prayer he penned on the back.
A Simple Prayer
Lord, makeme an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is discord, unity.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is error, truth.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is sadness, joy.
Where there is darkness, light.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console.
To be understood, as to understand.
To be loved, as to love.
For
It is in giving, that we receive.
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned.
It is in dying, that we are born to eternal life.
I've heard and read this prayer before, but it struck a deeper cord in me this morning. As I allow God to deliver me from my pit, and as I work daily on not falling back into the pit, I need to be careful not to focus solely on myself. Yes, in my healing, I need to have some focus on myself in order to get healthy. I've learned to say "no" where I used to only say yes. I've taken a step back from some obligations in order to allow God to heal and rejuvenate me. But this morning I felt Him saying to me that remember that it is in giving that I will receive. As He heals me, I want to work on understanding, loving and giving.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is discord, unity.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is error, truth.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is sadness, joy.
Where there is darkness, light.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console.
To be understood, as to understand.
To be loved, as to love.
For
It is in giving, that we receive.
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned.
It is in dying, that we are born to eternal life.
I've heard and read this prayer before, but it struck a deeper cord in me this morning. As I allow God to deliver me from my pit, and as I work daily on not falling back into the pit, I need to be careful not to focus solely on myself. Yes, in my healing, I need to have some focus on myself in order to get healthy. I've learned to say "no" where I used to only say yes. I've taken a step back from some obligations in order to allow God to heal and rejuvenate me. But this morning I felt Him saying to me that remember that it is in giving that I will receive. As He heals me, I want to work on understanding, loving and giving.
