The following prayer is a favourite of mine to which I have turned in difficult times. It has served me well down through the years. I trust it is a blessing to each one of you:
LORD, HIGH AND HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY,
You have brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see you in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold your glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that to repent is the way of victory,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest well,
and the deeper the well the brighter the stars shine;
Let me find your light in my darkness,
your life in my death,
your joy in my sorrow,
your grace in my sin,
your riches in my poverty,
your glory in my valley.
(Adapted by Les Henson from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions)