Friday, Fifth Week of Lent

FRIDAY, FIFTH WEEK OF LENT

Praying With Hope

Sing to the LORD; praise the LORD! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hands of evildoers. Jeremiah 20:13

The children of God need to support, protect, and hold one another to God’s heart. You belong to a minority in a large, hostile world. As you become more aware of your true identity as a child of God, you will also see more clearly the many forces that try to convince you that all things spiritual are false substitutes for the real things of life. When you are temporarily pulled out of your true self, you can have the sudden feeling that God is just a word, prayer is a fantasy, sanctity is a dream, and eternal life is an escape from true living. Jesus was tempted in this way, and so are we. Do not trust your thoughts and feelings when you are pulled out of yourself. Return quickly to your true place, and pay no attention to what tricked you. Gradually you will come to be more prepared for these temptations, and they will have less and less power over you. Protect your innocence by holding on to the truth: you are a child of God and deeply loved.

Lord, may I thank you for the many ways your Spirit has enriched my life, especially in guiding my life of prayer, placing within my heart the confidence that you have heard every prayer I have ever uttered.

Henri J. M. Nouwen

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