In January 2023, the Lord invited me to hope. On the time, I confronted a protracted journey forward of rebuilding myself, physique and soul, so I used to be just a little afraid to hope. I didn’t wish to be stunned once more by challenges I didn’t anticipate. I didn’t wish to really feel my hope wasn’t sufficient. Nonetheless, that was the invitation the Lord had for me, and the Lord doesn’t typically take no for a solution. So I took an opportunity, and I hoped. I hoped for a stronger physique. I hoped for brand spanking new alternatives for myself and my household. I hoped for happiness simply across the nook.

Final yr was a yr stuffed with ups and downs for everybody throughout the globe. It was more difficult for humanity than I might have imagined. However regardless of the challenges, God continued to point out me a method ahead. The Lord continued, day after day, to present me a purpose for my hope.

Now, as we enter 2024, I really feel the Lord calling me as soon as once more to one thing new. This time, as a substitute of 1 phrase, I really feel the invitation to a phrase. It was undoubtedly not one I selected myself, and I’ve a little bit of apprehension about it. Nonetheless, as soon as once more, the Lord is just not taking no for a solution from me. Over and over, I’ve heard this phrase in my prayer and seen this phrase are available in different varieties as properly.

For 2024, the Lord has invited me to be daring.

Simply a few weeks in the past, I used to be texting with a bunch of pals, and I admitted that in sure conditions I’m fairly daring, however in others, I’m just like the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz. There’s truly fairly a little bit of consolation in being the Cowardly Lion. There’s fairly a little bit of discomfort in being daring as a substitute.

My expertise utilizing the instruments of Ignatian discernment has taught me that God will typically invite me to issues that can make me uncomfortable. The Lord will typically invite me to issues to which I don’t really feel able to say sure. However I’ve realized that saying sure to the Lord’s invites will lead me someplace larger than I might have imagined.

I imagine wholeheartedly it would do the identical for you as properly. So, as we start this yr collectively, I wrote us a prayer to assist us say sure to the Lord’s invites. God could also be inviting us to say sure, however that doesn’t preclude us from asking for what we want to be able to do exactly that.

Fill within the prayer’s blanks with no matter private invitation the Lord has for you. Pray this prayer as many occasions as you want, and let it assist you say sure time and again. I can be doing the identical.

Prayer to Settle for the Invitation

Lord, I really feel you inviting me to _______ this yr.

However I’ve some questions first:

• What if I’m too afraid to reply this explicit name?
• What if my humanity will get the most effective of me, and I reply your name in a method that serves me over others?
• What if this name invitations me to sacrifice one thing I’m not able to let go of?

Lord, I really feel you inviting me to _______ this yr.

However I’m going to wish just a little assist:

• Assist me to let go of my concern and lean into the will to develop nearer to whom you’ve created me to be.
• Assist reorient me to my basis after I get off-track: that you like me as I’m, imperfect humanity and all.
• Assist me do not forget that all the pieces I’ve sacrificed for you has led me to one thing larger than I might have imagined.

Lord, I really feel you inviting me to _______ this yr,
and the place you lead me, I intend to go,
so allow us to start.

Amen.

Picture by Alex Shute (https://faithgiant.com/) on Unsplash.