Pursuing the Presence: St. Francis' Prayer

Each Monday, we will be sharing a simple post to help focus our thoughts and prayers as we head into a new week. Most of these Monday posts will simply include a Scripture and prayer, along with a song that you can listen to as you pray through the words.

I've seen God move in incredible ways when I take the time to slow down and welcome His work in my world. My hope is that we would not see these prayers so much as an itemized list of things we want God to do, but rather an avenue through which we can open our eyes to see what He is already doing.

It's this thought that influenced the title of our series: Pursuing the Presence. Inspired by Brother Lawrence, may God use these weekly prayers to open your eyes to His presence and activity all around you.

So without further adieu, our first Pursuing the Presence: St. Francis' Prayer

Scripture

"Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had..."

Philippians 2:3-5 (NLT)


St. Francis' Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

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,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

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Evan Smith

is a Pastor currently living in Phoenix, AZ. He majored in New Testament Studies at Ozark Christian College. Born and raised in Texas, he grew up the third-born of 7 kids and loved (almost) every minute of it! He is happily married to his high school sweetheart, Breanna, and has two wonderful kids, Hannah Joy and Peter. More than anything, Evan wants to be a man who is marked by a hunger for God.

“The God who came, still comes. The God who spoke, still speaks.”

Evan's Website