“‘It seems strange, when I think of it, that God is most vivid to my consciousness when I am in the depths of despair, and all I can say to Him is: “God help me!’” (ODAT, 14 November)
That’s the sort of prayer I like. I currently use three set prayers, then ordinary language prayers to ask just for what to do, and for help in doing it or solving what appear to my problems.
A large proportion of the solution to the problems comes in the form of seeing something differently.
On the practical front, almost invisibly, hands are moving behind the scenes or perhaps between the scenes (like those deft stagehands dressed in black appearing on a theatre stage during scene changes) to alter circumstances, to take things and people out of my path, to bring other things and people into my path.
Lastly, I’m given a few things to busy myself with in the meantime, largely to keep me out of the way and to keep my consciousness clear so God can work on it.
This works tremendously well, and out of extremity always comes improvement, so much so that I wonder whether extremity is not simply God’s way of getting my attention when I’m getting sloppy and complacent.