God, I have no defense.
I am lonely and miserable—
for no real reason.
How can I spread your love
when I don’t have it?
How can I spread to others your joy
when I am not joyful?
Why? How? What must I do?
Father, I’m tried. Please. Forgive me.
Father, forgive me
because I fail to be sincere,
genuine, repentant, loving,
selfless, trusting, committed.
I have questions
that I love to pester myself with
and my fruitless worries weigh me down
until I can no longer smile.
Lord, turn my eyes to you.
Let me be content
to live with my questions
and let loose my worries
in your presence.
Enable me to love and to live in your joy.
Enable me, Lord, and then consume me,
so that my actions are your actions,
so that my heart is your heart.
To you, Lord, I pray. Amen.
— Andrew Spidahl (modified)