Prayer is said to be talking to God. Meditation means listening to this higher authority. I've experienced many surprises when using these skills. Some of them are included in this site.
The following are some prayers (first column) and some ideas I've discovered when I use them. You will have your own ideas and questions. These come from a variety of sources and are meant to promote spirituality. Remember: take what you like and leave the rest.
Third Step Prayer
"God, I offer myself to Thee--to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy power, Thy love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!"
Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, 1976 p.63
Third Step of AA is turning your will and life over to a Higher Power. My first thoughts are about "as Thou wilt". I fear what God might expect me to do or what God would do to me. What does "bondage of self" mean? What is God's will for me? I'm supposed to "bear witness" that God is powerful, loving, and has a plan for how I should live? This has always seemed a major commitment. Am I ready?
Seventh Step Prayer
"My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen."
The Big Book of Alcoholic Anonymous, 1976 p.76
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow charity;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light; and
Where there is sadness, joy.
Oh, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life.
Amen
Meditation
Make me an instrument? Which one? My first thought was a guitar. How about a drum? Maybe a tuba or piccolo? Could the instrument be a human voice? If all humans were instruments, what type of orchestra would we be?
I read and meditate this prayer on three levels. The first level seems obvious. “Where there is hatred, let me sow love.” So when I see two or more people or groups angry or expressing hatred, it’s my job to try and stop it. To insert love. Level One--two people outside myself.
In Level Two I ask myself: “What if the anger is between another person and myself?” The hatred on my part must be ended. Can I do anything that assists the other person to surrender his anger? Level Two—conflict between another and myself.
Awareness of Level Three came as I worked an Adult Child program. The conflict can be within me. Do I self-hate? Do I put myself down when I make a mistake? Do I find fault with my appearance? I express self-disgust in many ways. How can I sow self-love? If I take better care of myself, if I appreciate myself more, will I be better able to appreciate others?
I find I need to examine each “Where there is…” on all three levels.