Johns Creek Presbyterian Church - Rev. Dr. C. Gray Norsworthy

A few years ago, I heard the late Steve Hayner, who was the president of Columbia Theological Seminary, share a prayer he repeated every day. I don't remember all of it, but it was both simple and profound. Over the years, I have tried to create things like that - prayers and personal affirmations of faith that I know by heart. I begin most days repeating them to myself or praying them to God. I find they ground me as I face daily challenges. One of the prayers I have used recently goes this way: "Lord, give me the insight to see what is really going on, the wisdom to know what I need to do, and the courage and perseverance to do it." Each part of that prayer speaks to something I believe is important.

I first ask God for insight to see what is really going on around me and in the world. So much appears to be taking place, but on closer inspection, we find that things are not the way they seem. Not only that, we each have our own biases and filters that affect how we perceive things. While I know we each distort what we see, I still believe that there is a sense in which things really are a certain way - at least to God. The closer we get to God, the better able we are to see things from God's perspective.

The second part of my prayer focuses on wisdom to know what I need to do in response to what is going on around me. Sometimes seeing what is going on is not as hard as knowing what I can do about it - if anything. There are often many ways I could respond - even if I am trying to do the right thing.

My final request is for courage and perseverance - to do the right thing and to keep on -- especially when it gets hard. Each part builds on the others. I will keep praying this until I get the hang of it - which may take a lifetime!