A TERRIBLE PRAYER
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TERRIBLE AT PRAYING.
I FORGET.
MY MIND WANDERS.
I FALL ASLEEP.
I DON'T PRAY ENOUGH.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT PRAYER IS
OR WHAT PRAYER DOES.
IF PRAYER WERE SCHOOL...
I WOULD FLUNK PRAYING.
BUT PRAYER ISN'T SCHOOL.
IT IS MYSTERY.
MAYBE THE MYSTERY IS...
JESUS LOVES TERRIBLE PRAYERS.
MAYBE...
WHEN I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING TO SAY, HE SAYS WHAT I CAN'T SAY.
WHEN I TALK TOO MUCH, HE CHERISHES MY TOO-MANY WORDS.
WHEN I FALL ASLEEP, HE HOLDS ME IN HIS LAP AND CARESSES MY WEARY SOUL.
WHEN I AM OVERWHELMED WITH GUILT AT MY INCONSISTENT, INADEQUATE PRAYING
HE WHISPERS, "YOUR NAME IS ALWAYS ON MY LIPS."
I AM FILLED WITH GRATITUDE, AND MY SOUL OVERFLOWS WITH THANKFULNESS AND I...
I...FIND MYSELF SAYING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, "THANK YOU."
PRAYING THE MYSTERY.
- MIKE YACONELLI