A Prayer for Planning During a Pandemic

Holy Wisdom,

There is so much we do not know.

And yet we are called to make decisions,

to make plans,

to prepare for a future we cannot see.

It feels like we are standing in shifting sand.

There is nothing solid under our feet.

Everything that has kept us rooted in the past,

has crumbled beneath us.

The world we live in is so interconnected,

woven together.

This thread holds another one taut

so this one can wind its way across the the tapestry.

When there are so many snags,

so many holes in our support systems,

it is hard to know how to stitch it back together

without causing more damage somewhere else.

Guide us in our discernment.

Help us balance needs and wants,

safety and health,

connection and community.

Grant us the wisdom to consider more than our preferences,

more than the needs of a few.

Open our awareness to those too often forgotten,

and raise our voices on their behalf.

Bless us with sacred creativity,

illuminate the path unseen.

May we seek the resources and skills needed

to do things in a new way.

Inspire those higher up the ladder

to give wise counsel,

and provide what is needed.

At every level, God, guide us.

Imbue us with renewed courage

as we name difficult truths,

receive criticism,

and make necessary decisions.

Remind us that we are works in progress,

always learning and growing.

May we be brave enough to change our minds

and apologize when we are wrong.

When things don't go our way,

when circumstances change,

or our efforts fall short,

may we know patience, hope, and forgiveness.

There is so much we do not know.

In your holy wisdom,

guide us.

Amen.