God of darkness as well as light, help us to embrace
all that we are. We want to dispel the darkness,
the shadows we find within ourselves. Help us
rather to bring these poles of light and darkness
into unity and learn to be whole, perfectly
ourselves, made in your image.
You who moved over the primeval waters, bringing
light and darkness into the unity of a single day,
still our temptation to judge the dark parts of
ourselves harshly. Lead us to the awareness that
our strengths and weakness cleave to one
another as two aspects of the same energy, that
our virtues and vices are intertwined.
You who make things lovable by loving them, teach us
to listen to the dark energies in our emotions and
relationships, to admit and feel our anger,
resentment, melancholy, envy, and hate. May our
ability to feel and accept all that we are enable
us to act in less hurtful ways towards ourselves
and others. Lead us in ways that are life-giving
for ourselves and others. Keep us from paths of
destruction and let the darkness fuel the goodness
within us.
You who empower roots to grow in the cold darkness
of earth, remind us that darkness is your dwelling
place too. You met Moses in a thick cloud
covering Mount Sinai. Clouds and darkness are
your cloak, the psalmist says. In prayer we often
meet you in the cloud of unknowing, a darkness
akin to your mystery. Make us more comfortable
with the darkness of waiting and hoping, not
knowing what may come.
We praise you, God of darkness as well as light.
Enfold and shelter us on our journey.
- From the Pastoral Counselors Prayer book.
No comments:
Post a Comment