Abba’s Joyful Discipline

^{Photo by Dave Hoefler on Unsplash.}

Abba,

I praise you for being such a good Father to me,

I thank you for your work of discipline in my life.

Thank you for the discipline of discouragement and frustration,

teaching me to relinquish my ways and my own path,

training me to look up and seek your face.

Thank you for the discipline of grief and pain,

guiding me to find rest in you alone,

rather than the broken cisterns I would cling to.

Thank you for the discipline of my will,

showing me I have a voice and choice,

to make decisions best aligning all parts of me

to follow you.

Thank you for the discipline of times and seasons,

instructing me of your will and how you work,

daily, weekly, seasonally, yearly,

to discern the right time for every action

for me specifically

and how I fit into your marvelous plans for the world.

I let go of my productivity, my rigid timelines, and my need to be perfect,

and choose to put my hope in you and seek your face continually.

That you may make straight my paths,

teach me your ancient ways,

and show me the ways of being a child of God, and a citizen of your kingdom.

I bless you Abba, thank you that your trustworthy and faithful,

I put my hope in you.

Amen.