Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Praying Through Desperation

As I was praying Psalm 86 during morning prayers, it occurred to me what a help it could be for those of you who are struggling in their marriage. This Psalm which is “the prayer of the poor man in distress” has some significant lines that could be a comfort to anyone who feels loneliness, desperation or emptiness in their marriage.

Several of the opening verses include pleadings to God for help:

Preserve my life, for I am faithful: save the servant who trusts in you.
Give joy to your servant, O Lord, for to you I lift up my soul.
Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer and attend to the sound of my voice.

Later in the Psalm, the petitioner expresses confidence in God:

. . . . for you are great and do marvelous deeds, you who alone are God.
. . . . for your love to me has been great: you have saved me from the depths of the grave.

Whatever your particular struggle in life is, never give up pleading with God for help. A beautiful responsory given in the Liturgy of the Hours is:

“Incline my heart according to your will, O God.”

Let this powerful prayer be your assurance that you are moving in a direction blessed by God.

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