Morning prayer [in Illness].

Almighty and merciful Father,
may it please Thee, in the abundance of Thy mercy,
to permit this newly-dawning day
to pass acceptably to Thee.
If pain or weakness be my portion in the hours now a blank,
and prevent the active employment of my time,
O grant me Thy holy spirit,
which will enable me,
without a murmuring thought or word,
to resign myself to Thee.

Grant me those solemn thoughts of Thee and heaven,
which will render those hours blessed to my soul,
by drawing it nearer Thee.
Let me not repine if Thou ordain
the privation of those pleasures,
that improvement, which in health
Thou hast made mine own.

I would resign myself to Thee, O my God,
but my sinful spirit murmurs and rebels.

O Thou who hast given me the wish
to draw nigh unto Thee,
grant, O grant me, the power to do so;
let me not fall back now that I would cling to Thee,
my Father and my Rock, as my sole support.
I look to Thy love as my only treasure.

I would implore Thee, O my God,
to guard me from those numerous temptations
which, in sickness as in health assail me,
if Thy Almighty grace be withdrawn.

Grant me an even temper,
guard me from fretfulness and irritation.
O preserve me in Thy mercy from such guilt,
root from my heart all evil inclinations,
and fill it, O my God, with love and gratitude to Thee,
and after Thee to those whom Thou, in Thy mercy,
hast ordained should tend me with such kindness and care.

Restrain those desires and inclinations
which are not fitted for my present state of health,
and bless in Thine infinite mercy all those pursuits
which Thy loving-kindness still enables me to follow.

Let Thy blessing, O my God,
rest on every hour of my day,
that I may feel in all things,
Thou art with me.

Thou listenest to my cry;
grant me but submission to Thy Almighty will,
moderation of my too easily excited feelings,
patience under all Thy decrees,
however painful to my corrupted nature.

O my heavenly Father,
let me rest in Thee, make Thy will mine own;
let me without one rebellious thought resign myself to Thee,
and live this day as if it were my last.

Almighty and beneficent Lord,
merciful and compassionate God,
O hear me for Thy name’s sake,
and answer me according to Thy will.
Amen.