The Saint Philaret Challenge - Holistic Christian Life

The Saint Philaret Challenge

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The Saint Philaret Challenge

Did you know that if you write something down, you are 42% more likely to achieve it?  I’m sure you’ve heard of the power of writing down your goals. The act of writing can bring clarity to dreams and also create a framework for achieving them.  It also increases your ability to remember.  The other day, while I was writing in my journal, I started to pray the prayer of St. Philaret. And since I was writing…I wrote it down at the same time. I could feel the power of the additional focus on the prayer, and this is what got me thinking…

What if I wrote this morning prayer out every morning for a month?

 

O Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace, help me in all things to rely upon your holy will. In every hour of the day reveal your will to me. Bless my dealings with all who surround me. Teach me to treat all that comes to throughout the day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that your will governs all. In all my deeds and words, guide my thoughts and feelings. In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by you. Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give me strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring. Direct my will, teach me to pray. And you, yourself, pray in me. Amen.
 
 

Some people are so good at recalling scripture.  It seems as though they can come up with just the right one at the right time for every occasion.  I’m more of the “Remember in one of the gospels, I think it was St. Paul who said…something to the effect of…”  I admit this way of quoting scripture isn’t very impressive, and probably not very convincing when I’m trying to get a point across.  I found that writing it down helped seal it in my memory.

So that brings me to the “challenge.”  Who wants to join me in this experiment to see what happens after one month?  Here’s what I hope will happen:

When something comes to me out of the blue that I wasn’t expecting, I will automatically think “In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by You.”

When that one person, who has a habit of saying things that bug me, says something… I will automatically recall “Teach me to act firmly and wisely without embarrassing and embittering others.”

And, when things don’t go my way….I will have “Peace of soul and firm conviction that Your will governs all”

Who wants to join us?  We will start today.  After all…it’s the beginning of the Christian new year!  Let’s start it off by setting our minds and our hearts on that which is from above.  Let’s set the stage for the year and truly internalize the teachings of Saint Philaret!

Each day, if you are game, just send a quick email to cynthia@holisticchristianlife.com with “DONE” in the subject line.  You don’t have to write anything else.  Easy peasy.  I can give you your score at the end of the month if you want it 🙂  Then, we can talk about what we experienced!

 

2 Comments

  1. Rachael says:

    Yes, I will join you in this challenge. Thank you for encouraging this 30 day habit of daily morning prayer that can take root to come to mind way beyond this month.

  2. Cynthia Damaskos says:

    Yay! I’m glad you’re with us!

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