Prayer for a servant's heart

[JLCecilia]

Anyone know of a good prayer to ask for the heart of a servant? As a wife and mother, I struggle w/ feeling unappreciated. In confession, father continues to tell me for penance to say such and such prayers in thanksgiving for DH and kids. I’ve been listening to Fr.Groschel who says that as humans, our rate of gratitude runs at about 5%. I believe the talk is called ‘The Spirit of Sacrifice in the Family’ by St.Joseph Catholic Media. LOVE THIS ONE!!! But it got me to thinking that I need to change my way of thinking. I am constantly seeking recognition and validation and I just want to try to focus on having a servant’s heart. Thanks in advance.

 

[Monica4316]

Hi,
sorry I don’t know a particular prayer, but maybe this one might help?

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O 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 that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

God bless!

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

St Catherine of Siena used to pretend she was in a bible scene and all the people she worked and customers were the holy people in the scene ansd she would treat them thus. You can do this too. It works with practise. Prayer makes the soul more like God. So be sure to pray plenty. The St Francis prayer mentioned is great too. God bless

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Here is one written by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (the “Little Flower”):

The Lowest Place
O Lord, when You were a pilgrim here below, You said, “Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” My soul finds its rest in seeing You, the powerful Monarch of the Heavens, clothed in the form and nature of a slave, humbling Yourself to wash the feet of Your Apostles. Then I recall the words You spoke to teach me how to practice humility: “I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also … The servant is not greater than his lord … If you know these things, you shall be blessed if you do them” (Jn 13:15–17). With the help of Your grace, O Lord, I understand these words which came from Your gentle, humble heart; and with the help of Your grace I wish to put them into practice. I want to abase myself humbly and submit my will to others, not contradicting them nor asking if they have the right to give me orders. No one had this right over You and yet You were obedient, not only to the Blessed Virgin and Saint Joseph but even to Your executioners.

O Lord, You could not humble Yourself any more in order to teach me humility. That is why I want to respond to Your love by putting myself in the lowest place and by sharing Your humiliations, so as to be able to share the kingdom of heaven with You hereafter. I beg You, divine Jesus, send me a humiliation every time I try to put myself above others. But Lord, You know my weakness; every morning I make a resolution to practice humility, and every evening I acknowledge that I still have many failures. I am tempted to be discouraged by this, but I know that discouragement also has its source in pride. That is why I prefer to put my trust in You alone, O my God. Since You are all-powerful, deign to create in my soul the virtue for which I long.

—Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus​

 

[PhilotheaZ]

The “Litany of Humility” on this website ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/humility.htm is also a great help. My spiritual director gave it to me several years ago, and he asked me to tailor it to my own needs by adding petitions that address my own personal struggles with humility.