At certain times we will pray to God to discover his will for us, and we will begin to understand what that might be. However, when his will is slowly revealed to us, we may not always welcome it. This happens when our heart is still intent on doing our own will and is not necessarily open to God’s will.
We may think that we want to know God’s will, but in fact, we simply want God to affirm our own choices. Yet, God does not always do that and it can be a difficult pill to swallow. At such times the best course of action is to pray again to God, asking him to help us accept his will with our whole heart.
Here is one such prayer from Thomas Kempis in his Imitation of Christ that calls out to God for help, so that peace might reign in our hearts.
Grant me your grace, O most merciful Jesus, that it may be with me, and work with me, and remain with me to the very end. Grant that I may always desire and will that which is most acceptable and pleasing to you. Let your will be mine. Let my will always follow yours and agree perfectly with it. Let my will be one with yours in willing and in not willing, and let me be unable to will or not will anything but what you will or do not will. Grant that I may die to all things in this world, and for your sake love to be despised and unknown in this life. Give me above all desires the desire to rest in you, and in you let my heart have peace. You are true peace of heart. You alone are its rest. Without you all things are difficult and troubled. In this peace, the selfsame that is in you, the Most High, the everlasting Good, I will sleep and take my rest. Amen.
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And today we celebrate...