Lord, Make Me a Channel of Necessary Disruption
A reflection inspired by the “Reverse St. Francis Prayer”
This post is inspired by the “Reverse St. Francis Prayer,” often attributed as a modern adaptation of the traditional Prayer of St. Francis. Full credit to the original author of the Reverse St. Francis Prayer for the framework and spirit that guided this reflection.
There are seasons in life when you pray for peace.
And there are seasons when you pray for courage.
This is not a season for comfort.
It is a season for clarity.
So today my prayer sounds a little different.
A Prayer for This Season
Lord,
Make me a channel of necessary disruption.
Where there is apathy in systems that affect our children,
Let me refuse to sit quietly.
Where there is compliance because “that’s just how it’s done,”
Give me the backbone to ask why.
Where there is silence around suffering,
Let me be steady — not loud for attention,
But clear enough that the truth cannot be ignored.
Where comfort has replaced action,
Shake me before I grow too comfortable.
Where meetings multiply but outcomes stall,
Remind me that justice is not a discussion topic —
It is work.
When laws are quoted but pain is dismissed,
Keep my heart soft enough to see the child behind the policy.
When tradition speaks louder than need,
Help me choose people over process.
Disturb me, Lord —
Not so I become angry,
But so I remain awake.
Make me willing
To sit in hospital rooms without losing hope.
To sit in board rooms without losing conviction.
To sit at kitchen tables and still believe change is possible.
Teach me to be with the overwhelmed,
Not just advocate for them.
Teach me to love the exhausted,
The skeptical,
The ones who disagree,
And even the ones who misunderstand.
And when I feel stretched thin —
Between family and fight,
Between leadership and fatigue,
Between belief and burnout —
Anchor me.
Not in applause.
Not in outcomes.
But in purpose.
Lord,
Make me a channel of necessary disruption —
Grounded in love.
Focused on justice.
Unmoved by noise.
Amen.