Change.  I have heard that one word used to describe 2020 more times than I can recall.  We are all affected by the changes that this year has seen so far.  Changes brought on by the pandemic.  Changes brought on by social injustices.  Changes brought on by economic factors.  Change is everywhere.  And it is the one thing that seems to be constant in all of our lives right now. 

If I’m being honest, a lot of these changes are unwelcome.  They leave me feeling anxious, overwhelmed and confused.  At times, it’s difficult to know where to turn or what to do when faced with so much change that seems to be constant and never-ending.

It is during these times that I fight to remember that, while everything around me seems to be in a state of change, God is not.  There is comfort in knowing that the very same God who faithfully delivered the Israelites to the Promised Land will deliver us from this pandemic too.  There is reassurance in knowing that the same Savior who removed the scales of blindness from Paul’s eyes (Acts 9), will also heal the fractures that divide us today.  There is peace in knowing that the same Jesus who time and time again provided abundant resources for all, be it wine, fish, wisdom or love, is still working in us and through us every day.  God’s promises to unconditionally love and guide us are the consistency I need in the midst of all this change.

Yet, I still struggle. 

I struggle with knowing what I am supposed to do during all of this upheaval.  At times I feel so restricted in regards to how I can reach out and serve others.  I have difficulty identifying ways to support those around me as well as those in the broader world.  I am left wondering, “Who am I called to be in the midst of all this change?”

And then it comes to me.  Literally, it appeared on my computer.  The Prayer of St. Francis; also known as The Peace Prayer, A Simple Prayer for Peace, and Make Me an Instrument of Your Love. 

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

This simple prayer holds the truths of who we are called to be in this world and to one another.  They were true thousands of years ago before these words were ever written. They were true over 100 years ago when the prayer was penned. They remain true today. And their truth will endure for all time.  These truths are a constant in a world of change. They speak to the truth of who God created us to be and they speak to the truth of who we are called to be to one another.   

Regardless of what is going on in your life, who we are called to be does not change .  We are called to be peace-bringers and love-bearers.  We are called to model forgiveness and faith.  We are called to be sources of hope, light and joy to others.  We are called to seek understanding and offer encouragement, support, and service.  We are called to love. 

How we live out these truths will be different for each and every person.  There are as many ways to love, serve, encourage, and share faith and hope as there are people in this world.  There is no limit to how God can and will use us for His purposes.  And as long as our steps align with the truths in this prayer, we can know that we are being who God has called us to be…regardless of what is going on within or around us.

When you feel lost, re-read this simple prayer.  Let its truths sink into your soul.  Let it be your compass when you don’t know which way to turn.  Let it guide your steps as you more fully become the person God created you to be.

In times of change and uncertainty, we can turn our eyes and hearts to our unchanging God. And regardless of what is going on around us or within us, who we are called to be never changes.

(Sarah McLachlan sings a beautiful version of The Prayer of St. Francis. You can listen to it here)