Most prayers ask God for something. This one gives Him something — everything.
The Prayer of Abandonment, composed by St. Charles de Foucauld — a French soldier who gave up everything to live as a hermit in the Algerian desert and was canonized by Pope Francis in 2022 — is one of the most beautiful acts of surrender in the Catholic tradition. In it, we place ourselves completely in God’s hands, letting go of our worries, our plans, and our need to control everything, and simply trusting Him the way a child trusts a loving father.
What makes it so powerful is how simple it is. There are no complicated requests, no lengthy petitions — just a quiet, wholehearted gift of self to the Father.
If you’re carrying something heavy right now, or you’ve been struggling to trust God with a situation that feels out of your hands, this prayer was made for that moment. Pray it slowly, and let every word sink in.