A litany of . . . something

Deliver me, Lord:

from invidious comparisons of CVs and professional status,

from needless self-assertion,

from assuming that my stories about myself are as interesting to everyone else as they are to me,

from academic one-upmanship,

from the need to stake out a claim to others' esteem,

and from the fear of my own silence.

Grant me, Lord:

a humble gratitude for the gifts you have given me,

a joyful acknowledgment of the gifts you have given others,

the wisdom to discern when no one but you needs to know my thoughts,

the confidence that you are making of me what you would have me be,

and a lively sense that your "Well done" is the only praise that will matter in the end.