When I first saw this prayer/poem a few years ago, my first thought was how dangerous it would be to actually offer it up. After thinking about it, and I do often, I realize it is a prayer asking for God to make us better. In a world where we are supposed to improve mentally, physically, socially, spiritually, etc. we need to be challenged and challenged often. There are even motivational posters that say “A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor.”
Romans 5:3-5 tells us that challenges give us endurance, character, and hope. And James 1:2-4 says to be joyful for all the various trials, as they will make us steadfast – a trait that completes us. If God thought we should welcome challenges that come our way, maybe the request isn’t so dangerous after all.
Give this poem an honest read. How can you use it to your benefit?
Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.