Prayer of Relinquishment

At times I find myself grasping too hard, trying to control aspects of life that I simply cannot control. Have you been there? Perhaps, like me, the following prayer may be helpful to open our hands once again, allowing God to be our God. Let us pray:

Today, O Lord, I yield myself to you.
May your will be my delight today.
May your love be the pattern of my living.

I surrender to you
my hopes,
my dreams,
my ambitions.
Do with them what you will, when you will, as you will.

I place into your loving care
my family,
my friends,
my future.
Care for them with a care that I can never give.

I release into your hands
my need to control,
my craving for status,
my fear of obscurity.
Eradicate the evil, purify the good, and establish your kingdom on earth.

For Jesus’ sake

Amen.

(Prayer of Relinquishment by Richard Foster)