Thomas Merton (1915-1968): A Prayer

My Lord God
       I have no idea where I am going.
                I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
       Nor do I really know myself,
                and the fact that I think I am following
            your will does not mean
                       that I am actually doing so.
    But I believe that my desire to please you
                     does in fact please you.
  And I hope that I have that desire
                              in all that I am doing.
        I hope that I will never do anything
                                          apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this
                you will lead me by the right road
    though I may know nothing about it.
                       Therefore will I trust you always
              though I may seem to be lost
        and in the shadow of death.
                            I will not fear,
                      for you are ever with me,
          and you will never leave me
                          to face my perils alone.

Thomas Merton (1915-1968)
A Prayer, as quoted in
AquaChurch: Essential Leadership Arts for Piloting Your Church in Today's Fluid Culture by Leonard Sweet