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     %PRAY CONFUSION TROUBLE CLEAR CONFLICT RESOLVE 920225

     In times of general confusion and trouble, what shall
we do?

     Pray  that God may help us to clarify our ideals  and
values  so  that  they will not conflict with  each  other
within  us  and  each other,  and that we may not conflict
with  each other in the service of conflicting ideals  and
values.

     Pray  that  we  may have the courage to be  open  and
honest   with   each   other   in   integrative   intimate
relationships characterized  by  balance  in  faith, hope,
love,   power  and  justice,  mercy and  humility  in  the
practice of the presence of God.

     Pray  that  we  may treat each other  in  ways  which
create  contexts within which we may be secure in open and
honest intimacy.

     Pray  that we may with humility be willing to  accept
the  gift  of security when it is offered to us as a  free
gift with no conditions attached by giver or recipient.

     Pray  that we may have the courage to take the  risks
entailed in being true to ourselves and to each other.

     Pray  for the insight to balance our  convictions  so
that  we may not lose our balance in fanatical  positions;
and so fall into disintegrative attitudes and behaviors.

     Pray  that in our conviction that we know God's  will
we  will not become alienated from our neighbors in  whose
presence God seeks to makes Her presence known to us.

     Pray that  God  may lead us in ways  where  our  true
desires  will be fulfilled more fully than we can  imagine
or achieve through our own efforts and techniques.

     Pray  that God may help us know how to take good care
of  ourselves so that we may in turn cooperate in  helping
our less fortunate neighbors to learn how to take good car
of themselves in their turn.

     Pray  that  we may not fall into the deadly  trap  of
pretending   that  we  have  as  much  knowledge,   power,
responsibility  and  authority as only God may  have  with
integrity.

     Pray  that we may let go of our defensive  techniques
by  which we separate ourselves from each other,  and make
ourselves suspicious of each other.

     Pray that we may enjoy the confidence we may properly
have  in God's guidance of us;  guidance  which transcends
our clever systems of defining what we should and  should-
not think, feel and do.

     Pray  that  we may believe that God has the power  to
make  Her  will  known to us and each  other  through  the
presence  in us of Her mysterious Holy Spirit within  each
of us.

     Pray  that  we  may not sacrifice  our  personal  and
communal  integrity in the service of idols which  do  not
have the power to fix us, save us,  redeem us or otherwise
open the doors of heaven to us or for us.

     Pray that we may not become idolatrous in our worship
of our doctrines,  writings, rituals, laws,  moral/ethical
knowledge/codes,  taboos, governance,  techniques,  fixes,
technologies,   science,   possessions,   accomplishments,
families,  schools, interest groups, churches,  religions,
nations, professions, etc.

     Pray  that  we may not fall into the deadly  trap  of
trying  to  make  ourselves  and each other  to  be  good,
perfect   and  acceptable  according  to  some   conformal
standards.

     Pray  that in our efforts to be free of bias  through
objectivity  we may not lose our ability to be  reflexive,
meditative,  prayerful,  mysterious,  and truly present to
ourselves and each other in I-Thou relationships which are
responsive and integrative.

                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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