A Reflection on a Written Prayer

Grant, O Lord, we pray, that, as we seek direction for our parish future, we may find the search leads us to yourself. Give us courage to seek honestly, and reverence to seek humbly; and when our minds are perplexed and we see no clear direction, give us patience to go on with our daily duties and faithful worship.

About a month ago, All Saints added the above prayer at the end of the prayers of the people as a way to ask God for direction for our parish. Below is a short description of this prayer written by a mentor of mine about 15 years ago.

Life in Christ is a series of changing seasons. Living in Placerville reminds me of the fact that seasons change. This region of California, nestled at the foot of the Sierra Mountain range, makes for a wonderful backdrop to the way God changes things so quickly. It can seem like an eternity however when you are stuck in the “dog days” of summer, paying those high air conditioning bills, or hoping a forest fire doesn’t come near your property. Nonetheless, the seasons will eventually change and inevitably we will feel fall peaking its head out and calling us back into the glory of dropping leaves, barren trees, and cooler, shorter days.

The Christian life is no different. It has been said that at every point in the process of formation towards Jesus that we are either in a season of disorientation, orientation or re-orientation. In seasons of orientation, we are experiencing joy and a growing measure of the fruit of the Spirit, and hearing clearly from God. These seasons are often fun and exciting and can become signposts of God’s coming kingdom to look back on. In seasons of disorientation, we are feeling anxious, worried and generally disconnected from God and unable to hear his voice. These seasons help us grow deeper into the life of God by not depending on feelings as much as God’s revealed truth. Re-orientation is where we are moving out of the difficult season of disorientation and towards a proper orientation to God. In the Christian life, we gain the capacity to open ourselves to God as the years go by in order to maintain a proper orientation.

The collect above gives some good guidance as we navigate these changing seasons of our life in Christ. During a very difficult time in ministry a mentor of mine, wrote the prayer above, as a way to remember that all of life can lead us to Jesus. In this context, the church he was leading, that had nearly celebrated 100 years of ministry, was at a crossroads. They had some very difficult decisions ahead that only God could help them with. Although that was true, he knew that the best gift the church could receive was God Himself, in any season.

He asks in this prayer for humility and courage in the seeking process. Humility to examine our own lives to see if we are in the wrong, and courage to be reminded that we are in Him and thus are God’s beloved. He then goes on to request that in the difficult seasons where clarity doesn’t exist, when our minds are perplexed and when we see no clear direction, that we might have patience to go on with our daily duties and faithful worship.

In difficult times and in joyous times, we can often find that we do not have clarity about the direction of our parish, life decisions and all manner of things. This may be true, but we can always ask for strength to go on with our daily tasks and faithful worship within the worshipping community. This collect always brings me comfort and helps me remember what is important during changing seasons in the Christian life.

Together in Christ

Rev. Chris J. Bodiford

July 17,2025

This is a photo from Bassi Falls, a local waterfall in El Dorado county that reminds us of the consistency of God’s provision of water throughout the changing seasons.