"Blessing" by Alexander Urban on flickr

An Order for the Blessing of our Doubts and Fears

Friends in Christ: Today we give thanks to God and we seek God's blessing as we gather to bless and dedicate our fears and our doubts to the praise and glory of God.

We take a moment now in silence to lift up to God the doubts that linger, the fears that remain, and the uncertainties that make our hearts waver.

silence for reflection

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Let us pray.

all are invited to raise one or both hands in a gesture of blessing during the following prayer:

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe. You made the whole earth for your glory; all creation praises you. We lift our voices to join the songs of heaven and earth, of things seen and unseen.

You stretched out the heavens like a tent; you divided the day from the night; you appointed times and seasons for work and rest, for tearing down and building up. You blessed your people through all generations and guided them in life and death.

We give you thanks, O God, as today we dedicate our fears and our doubts to your glory and praise. Bless our uncertainties. Bless the times that we make excuses not to believe. Bless the days when we can’t quite muster up strength to believe. Bless the gaps between hopeful hearts and skeptical minds.

Grant us faith to know your gracious purpose in all things, give us joy in them, and lead us to the building up of your kingdom; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

And now may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit, bring peace to our doubts and send us forth into the world to walk by faith, even when we cannot walk by sight.
Amen.

(adapted by Melissa Bills from the "General Order of Blessing," Evangelical Lutheran Worship: Pastoral Care, p. 331)