Lately I have been reading Kathleen Norris’ new book, Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and A Writer’s Life, and yesterday I came upon this prayer that is so perfect for me and where I am right now.

It comes from the Book of Common Prayer: Prayers for use by a Sick Person:

“This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen.”

And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Hm, doing nothing…gallantly. Never tried that one before.

Doing nothing…

-resentfully

-angrily

-guiltily

-fearfully

-grudgingly

I’ve run the gamut with those.

But “doing nothing gallantly.”

Definitely something to chew on.

…in the book of Isaiah the word of God is envisioned as the rain God sends to earth, and the prophet declares that it will not return empty, but bearing good fruit. If we are made in God’s image, perhaps we are also words of God in this sense, and our life’s pilgrimage is to determine what our particular word is and how we are to bring it to fruition. Within this frame of reference, we can envision the whole of our life as a journey home.

-Kathleen Norris