18 Prayer When You Feel alone
PRAYERS THAT HEAL A Prayer When You Feel Alone
“If you knew who walks beside you on this path that you have chosen, fear would be impossible.” From A Course in Miracles (ACIM). A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is a self-study curriculum that aims to assist its readers in achieving spiritual transformation. The book describes a philosophy of forgiveness and includes what are meant to be practical lessons and applications for the practice of forgiveness in one's daily life. The Course is a channeled text and it took seven years to complete it. No author is listed for the book, but Helen Schucman, a professor of Psychology at Columbia University at the time, wrote it with the help of Dr. Bill Thetford, then director of the psychology dept. of Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City and Professor of Medical Psychology at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The book is based on what Helen called an "inner voice" which she identified as Jesus that spoke to her and gave her the information. Since it first became available for sale in 1976, over 2 million copies of A Course in Miracles have been sold worldwide and the text has been translated into sixteen different languages.
Recent headlines in the media have focused on the financial crisis in Europe but the personal toll on individual families hadn’t fully sunk in until I read a recent Newsweek article about the alarming rise in suicide rates across Europe, particularly in Italy, Greece and Spain. These were stories of out of work individuals driven to extremes, a man shooting himself in front of a church in despair over his financial woes, another burning himself to death outside the government tax office that as hounding him over his tax bills. They were all tragic but Marco Turrini’s story gave me the chills. “Out of work for more than a year and under pressure from tax collectors, the 41-year-old publicity agent picked up his 4-year-old son, Samuele, and 14-month-old daughter, Benedetta, and threw them out of their sixth-floor window in Brescia, near Milan. He then struggled to push his wife to the same fate. She escaped, but he turned to the window and jumped. He died on impact, but his two young children lived for several long minutes while neighbors tried to save them.” I found myself imagining the depth of fear and despair of these men. How alone Marco must have felt to do something so terrible. How powerless. He must have felt that no one could help him, that he had been let down by everyone, all he was left with was fear, shame and despair. How different life might have been if he had faith beyond what he could see in his present circumstances. If he didn’t believe that he was alone in his suffering and that help was at hand. As ACIM says: “If you knew who walks beside you on this path that you have chosen, fear would be impossible.”
1
Many of you have either experienced or are experiencing challenges, losses, upheavals and significant change in your life right now. In these turbulent times it is all too easy to feel frightened, vulnerable and alone as the foundations of the life you have so carefully built seem to be unraveling. In such times, it serves us to place our faith in the Universe that has supported us through life and helped us through so many situations up and till now, rather than relying on individuals or institutions that can change and let us down. As challenging as it can be in the midst of things falling apart, when we focus on that which doesn’t change in our lives we draw strength and find a way through the crisis. In the midst of challenges that test everything you know and believe in: 1. Acknowledge everything you have to be grateful for. Yes, even in THIS situation. 2. Let go of attachment to any particular outcome and be open and available to what may show up in your life. 3. Be willing to do things you’ve never done before. 4. As hard as it can be, avoid “doing for the sake of doing” get still and listen for your inner guidance. If you need to sit still for days on end. Do it. It will pay off. 5. Follow your inner guidance even if it seems wacky and illogical. 6. Let go of what things “should look like” and accept “the way it is” 7. Draw strength from other individuals who have overcome far worse circumstances. Read about them, tell yourself their stories and use them to build your faith muscles. 8. Stop judging and beating yourself up for what has happened to you. 9. Stop blaming others and being a victim. Ask yourself what you can be responsible for in this situation. 10. Be kind and loving to yourself as you move through each day. 11. Do not be too proud to ask for help and be willing to receive it when it is offered. 12. Look for and acknowledge all the ways in which you ARE being supported in the midst of your situation. 13. Pray and KNOW that your prayers are ALWAYS answered.
2
Prayer I feel so alone today so vulnerable that I can only count on myself that I have to do it all on my own I am so tired of the struggle. I feel lost and afraid. My mind is running wild with dark imaginings. Help me, Oh God, I feel so lost. I’ve been let down by so many people. I can’t see my way anymore. I don’t know what to do I want to do something, anything but I don’t know what I don’t know how I don’t know where to turn Help me, Oh God, I feel so lost. Help me to be still, Oh God Help me to take the time to listen for your guidance and your wisdom Help me to trust that if I ask believing, you will answer. But do I believe? I want to believe I need to believe but I’m afraid. Help me to believe Help me to release these fears Help me to build my faith muscles, Oh God. I know how many times you have helped me in the past. I know all the gifts you have given me. All the opportunities that came out of nowhere All the blessings you have showered upon me. You have always been there for me, even when I doubted you. Even when I insisted on doing it my way “If you knew who walks beside you…” I know who walks beside me. I know I have the strength and wisdom of the Universe within me 3
I know that the Intelligence that creates miracles on a daily basis Is right here beside me. I trust that there is a miracle for me. I ask that Intelligence to be active on my behalf. Now! Eliminate all doubt and fear from within me. Now! I focus on you alone, Oh God. In you all things are possible. Not just “some” things. All things. I am ready for my miracle. What you have done for others I know you can do for me and more. When I get still I feel your presence Help me to be still Oh, God. Stop me from panic and needless action. I am still, knowing I am with you Knowing I am held in your loving arms. I don’t know HOW things are going to turn out I only know that they WILL turn out just fine Because YOU are in charge of my life What better hands could I be in? How can I be alone with you beside me? With you beside me, fear is impossible I lean on your strength I rely on your wisdom I am resurrected by your love I am at peace, Oh God. I am finally at peace. All is well in my world.
4
“If you knew who walks beside you on this path that you have chosen, fear would be impossible.” From A Course in Miracles (ACIM). A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is a self-study curriculum that aims to assist its readers in achieving spiritual transformation. The book describes a philosophy of forgiveness and includes what are meant to be practical lessons and applications for the practice of forgiveness in one's daily life. The Course is a channeled text and it took seven years to complete it. No author is listed for the book, but Helen Schucman, a professor of Psychology at Columbia University at the time, wrote it with the help of Dr. Bill Thetford, then director of the psychology dept. of Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City and Professor of Medical Psychology at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The book is based on what Helen called an "inner voice" which she identified as Jesus that spoke to her and gave her the information. Since it first became available for sale in 1976, over 2 million copies of A Course in Miracles have been sold worldwide and the text has been translated into sixteen different languages.
Recent headlines in the media have focused on the financial crisis in Europe but the personal toll on individual families hadn’t fully sunk in until I read a recent Newsweek article about the alarming rise in suicide rates across Europe, particularly in Italy, Greece and Spain. These were stories of out of work individuals driven to extremes, a man shooting himself in front of a church in despair over his financial woes, another burning himself to death outside the government tax office that as hounding him over his tax bills. They were all tragic but Marco Turrini’s story gave me the chills. “Out of work for more than a year and under pressure from tax collectors, the 41-year-old publicity agent picked up his 4-year-old son, Samuele, and 14-month-old daughter, Benedetta, and threw them out of their sixth-floor window in Brescia, near Milan. He then struggled to push his wife to the same fate. She escaped, but he turned to the window and jumped. He died on impact, but his two young children lived for several long minutes while neighbors tried to save them.” I found myself imagining the depth of fear and despair of these men. How alone Marco must have felt to do something so terrible. How powerless. He must have felt that no one could help him, that he had been let down by everyone, all he was left with was fear, shame and despair. How different life might have been if he had faith beyond what he could see in his present circumstances. If he didn’t believe that he was alone in his suffering and that help was at hand. As ACIM says: “If you knew who walks beside you on this path that you have chosen, fear would be impossible.”
1
Many of you have either experienced or are experiencing challenges, losses, upheavals and significant change in your life right now. In these turbulent times it is all too easy to feel frightened, vulnerable and alone as the foundations of the life you have so carefully built seem to be unraveling. In such times, it serves us to place our faith in the Universe that has supported us through life and helped us through so many situations up and till now, rather than relying on individuals or institutions that can change and let us down. As challenging as it can be in the midst of things falling apart, when we focus on that which doesn’t change in our lives we draw strength and find a way through the crisis. In the midst of challenges that test everything you know and believe in: 1. Acknowledge everything you have to be grateful for. Yes, even in THIS situation. 2. Let go of attachment to any particular outcome and be open and available to what may show up in your life. 3. Be willing to do things you’ve never done before. 4. As hard as it can be, avoid “doing for the sake of doing” get still and listen for your inner guidance. If you need to sit still for days on end. Do it. It will pay off. 5. Follow your inner guidance even if it seems wacky and illogical. 6. Let go of what things “should look like” and accept “the way it is” 7. Draw strength from other individuals who have overcome far worse circumstances. Read about them, tell yourself their stories and use them to build your faith muscles. 8. Stop judging and beating yourself up for what has happened to you. 9. Stop blaming others and being a victim. Ask yourself what you can be responsible for in this situation. 10. Be kind and loving to yourself as you move through each day. 11. Do not be too proud to ask for help and be willing to receive it when it is offered. 12. Look for and acknowledge all the ways in which you ARE being supported in the midst of your situation. 13. Pray and KNOW that your prayers are ALWAYS answered.
2
Prayer I feel so alone today so vulnerable that I can only count on myself that I have to do it all on my own I am so tired of the struggle. I feel lost and afraid. My mind is running wild with dark imaginings. Help me, Oh God, I feel so lost. I’ve been let down by so many people. I can’t see my way anymore. I don’t know what to do I want to do something, anything but I don’t know what I don’t know how I don’t know where to turn Help me, Oh God, I feel so lost. Help me to be still, Oh God Help me to take the time to listen for your guidance and your wisdom Help me to trust that if I ask believing, you will answer. But do I believe? I want to believe I need to believe but I’m afraid. Help me to believe Help me to release these fears Help me to build my faith muscles, Oh God. I know how many times you have helped me in the past. I know all the gifts you have given me. All the opportunities that came out of nowhere All the blessings you have showered upon me. You have always been there for me, even when I doubted you. Even when I insisted on doing it my way “If you knew who walks beside you…” I know who walks beside me. I know I have the strength and wisdom of the Universe within me 3
I know that the Intelligence that creates miracles on a daily basis Is right here beside me. I trust that there is a miracle for me. I ask that Intelligence to be active on my behalf. Now! Eliminate all doubt and fear from within me. Now! I focus on you alone, Oh God. In you all things are possible. Not just “some” things. All things. I am ready for my miracle. What you have done for others I know you can do for me and more. When I get still I feel your presence Help me to be still Oh, God. Stop me from panic and needless action. I am still, knowing I am with you Knowing I am held in your loving arms. I don’t know HOW things are going to turn out I only know that they WILL turn out just fine Because YOU are in charge of my life What better hands could I be in? How can I be alone with you beside me? With you beside me, fear is impossible I lean on your strength I rely on your wisdom I am resurrected by your love I am at peace, Oh God. I am finally at peace. All is well in my world.
4
