A Prayer for the Dependent Heart
I am blind, be thou my light,
ignorant, be thou my wisdom,
self-willed, be thou my mind.
Open my ear to grasp quickly thy Spirit’s voice,
and delightfully run after his beckoning hand;
Melt my conscience that no hardness remain,
make it alive to evil’s slightest touch;
When Satan approaches may I flee to thy wounds,
and there cease to tremble at all alarms.
Be my good shepherd to lead me into
the green pastures of thy Word,
and cause me to lie down beside the rivers of its comforts.
Fill me with peace, that no disquieting worldly gales
may ruffle the calm surface of my soul.
Thy cross was upraise to be my refuge, Thy blood streamed forth to was me clean,
Thy death occurred to five me a surety,
Thy name is my property to save me,
By thee all heaven is poured into my heart,
but it is too narrow to comprehend thy love.
I was a stranger, an outcast, a slave, a rebel,
but thy cross has brought me near,
has softened my heart,
has made me thy Father’s child,
has admitted me to my family,
has made me joint-heir with thyself.
O that I may love thee as thou lovest me,
that I may walk worthy of thee, my Lord,
that I reflect the image of heaven’s first-born.
May I always see thy beauty with the clear eye of faith,
and feel the power of thy Spirit in my heart,
for unless he move mightily in me
no inward fire will be kindled.
—Valley of Vision
This Puritan prayer reads like a psalm—honest, needy, worshipful, and full of yearning. Its language echoes the heart cries of Psalm 23, Psalm 51, and Psalm 139: “Lead me… cleanse me… search me… be my light.” For anyone struggling with mental health or the long journey of recovery, these words offer both comfort and clarity. They don’t pretend we are strong—they assume we are weak, confused, overwhelmed, and in need of constant rescue. And yet, in that need, they anchor us to the truth: Jesus is our light when we can’t see, our wisdom when we are lost, our peace when anxiety rages, and our refuge when shame or fear creep in.
This is a prayer of surrender, not from defeat, but from trust—trust that God’s love runs deeper than our rebellion, and that His Spirit is able to kindle a fire within us, even when all feels cold or dark. Let this be your prayer today. Whisper it when words fail. Linger on its lines when your heart feels numb. Pray it not to impress God, but to invite Him. Make its longing your own: “O that I may love thee as thou lovest me.” For in that longing, God is already near.
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics