A Prayer for Thanksgiving Week | Sojourners

A Prayer for Thanksgiving Week

Creator,

Sometimes we don’t know what to pray,
or how to talk to you about fixing what’s broken.
We pray in generalities, that you’ll
“be with us, guide us, restore us”
but sometimes, that’s not the tangible need
we really want to name.

Sometimes we want to say,
“It really hurts that people don’t always tell the truth.”
“I hate that starvation exists in the world.”
“How can we avoid war when it’s everywhere?”
“Why do so many bad things happen to the vulnerable?”
This week we are reminded that gratitude changes things,

And so we try to shift our focus a little,
remembering that though things
aren’t as they should be,
we’re waiting and listening
for what is good.

So we give thanks for what we can—
For a world of seasons that teach us about life and death;
For children who remind us to let go of our pretenses;
For diversity that is a mirror of your kingdom.

And we simply ask that we know you better,
that we know our neighbor better,
and that when we don’t know
exactly how to fight for justice
or rescue the oppressed,
we can at least mouth to you
that we’re trying,
and that we trust you to show us the way.

For that,
we are deeply,
deeply
thankful.

Amen.