A friend of mine posted this poem on her facebook page, and it has been on my mind since then. I sometimes struggle in ministry with doing things to please people or doing things to get affirmation… instead of BEING, and simply BEING FAITHFUL. I know and understand in my mind that ministry is definitely NOT about pleasing people, and that the motivation is twisted if it’s a motivation to get affirmation. But, ugh! I am so human! I pray that this prayer becomes part of my spiritual DNA.
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Deliver me, Jesus —
from the desire of being loved
from the desire of being honored
from the desire of being praised
from the desire of being preferred to others
from the desire of being consulted
from the desire of being approved
from the fear of being humiliated
from the fear of being despised
from the fear of suffering rebuke
from the fear of being forgotten
from the fear of being wrong
from the fear of being suspected
And Jesus, grant me the grace to desire
that others might be loved more than I
that others might be esteemed more than I
that in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease
that others may be chosen and I set aside
that others may be praised and I unnoticed
that others may be preferred to me in everything
that others may become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should.
Driven to Wonder 