A Prayer for Overwhelm

When the world seems overwhelming, what do we do?

Hi God,

Are you there? The world seems so overwhelming right now. I don’t know what to do or how to help, so I send my thoughts and prayers.

Thoughts and prayers. Thoughts and prayers. Thoughts and prayers. They seem like not enough—empty, cliche words that we say when we do not know what else to say.

Except that I really am trying to pray and pray and pray.

Pray to change myself so that I may soften and better hear and understand the world’s hurts.

Pray that I may contribute constructively.

Pray that we humans may work together and realize that another person’s gain does not mean that I necessarily lose something every time. Not everything is a competition. We can share. We can help see to it that everyone has enough.

But where do we even start? Where do I start?

Not with anger, finger-pointing, complaining or apathy.

I don’t quite know. But I’m here. Praying for a way forward.

Amen.