Peace for Troubled Hearts

BLESSED art Thou, O God, who hast created and dost sustain us, out of whose fulness come blessing and goodness and happiness. Dwell in us as a power of love and of soundness. Heal the disorders of body and soul. Pluck from the memory the rooted sorrow and cleanse the overcharged heart from its misery and pain. Bring Thy peace to the troubled conscience. Quench the fires of evil within us and light a flame of holy love that may warm and purify our lives.

O God, our Father, as we look back upon our past lives, we realise that Thy hand hast guided us. Even in the desert places of our experience, Thou hast caused to break forth springs that have made life glad. Thou hast bestowed upon us the riches of human love and tenderness, that our hearts might rise to Thee. Sorrow and troubles have come to us, but Thou hast turned them to our spiritual good, for through them the Heavens have been opened unto us and in the visions of the night we have seen Thy angels ascending and descending on a ladder of glory. Death has made our hearts desolate, but Thou hast wiped away our tears and hast begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Never again, O Lord, will we mistrust Thee, never again will we doubt Thy power or willingness to bless. Here and now we renounce our own vain guidance and take refuge in Thy providential care. Whatever the future may have in store for us, whether our days be few or many, full of joy or of sorrow, of pleasure or of pain, we would hold fast by Thee, whom we see not, as though we saw Thee. "Whom have we in Heaven but Thee; and there is none upon the earth that we desire beside Thee. Our flesh and our hearts faint, but Thou art the Strength of our heart and our portion for ever." Henceforth we would have nothing, receive nothing, and be nothing but what Thou choosest. In the turmoil of the world, in the failure of lower hopes, we would remember that our deepest life is hid with Christ in Thee. O Christ, Thou Son of God and Son of Man, enter anew into our hearts. Move us to fresh ambition. Assure us of the Father's love, and lead us into the wonder and the joy of His forgiving grace, and make us one with Him in every thought and purpose and desire. Dwell in us evermore, Thou Peace of God, earnest of the peace of eternity! We ask it in Thy name. Amen.