There is a prayer that I believe is very powerful. It was written by Catherine Marshall and is called the Prayer of Relinquishment. There are many times in life in which we must surrender, and this act of the will can many times open the door for God to be able to work in a situation. Worry and attempts in the flesh can actually interfere with what God wants to do in a situation! I imagine it like a doorway, and we are standing in the doorway, saying, "Let me help you God. Let me show you which way you should go." All the while, we are standing in the doorway, preventing God from entering our circumstance!
The prayer of relinquishment, by Catherine Marshall:
Father, for such a long time I have pleaded before You this, the deep desire of my heart:_______. Yet, the more I have clamored for Your help with this, the more remote You have seemed. I confess my demanding spirit in this matter. I've tried suggesting to You ways my prayer could be answered. To my shame, I have even bargained with You. Yet I know that trying to manipulate the Lord of the Universe is utter foolishness. I want to trust You, Father. My spirit knows that these verities are forever trustworthy even when I feel nothing. That You are there... That You love me...That You alone know what is best for me... Perhaps all along, You have been waiting for me to give up self-effort.
At last, I want You in my life even more than I want ________. So now, by an act of my will, I relinquish this to You. I will accept Your will, whatever that may be. Thank You for counting this act of my will as a decision of the real person even when my emotions protest. I ask You to hold me true to this decision. To You, Lord God, who alone are worthy of worship, I bend the knee with thanksgiving that this too will work together for my good. I relinquish this to You. Amen.
God Bless You,
Lisa
