7 Prayers That Work

Dear God of all comfort, Settle over the families today who are missing their loved ones. Reach into those painful places and smooth the fear and anger; stave off the bitterness, and help them find joy today. Give them new purpose and vision--help them to envision and begin a new life without the ones they've lost. Lord of heaven, comfort us as a nation. I don't ask that you make our lives easy, because nothing with value was ever easy. But give us passion and purpose to live for you, and in so doing, serve our fellow-man. Make us Christ-followers first and Americans second. May our patriotism grow from a love of countryman, not a hatred of foreigners. Lead the citizens of this land to be strong, compassionate, and honest leaders. May we be a people of integrity--that is what brings honor to the dead. Leadership inspires future heroes. Make us leaders who hold human lives above personal values, ambition, and pride. May we see justice through your eyes alone. I pray ov

Dear Lord, I'm reaching out to you in faith. I'm discouraged, defeated, and despondent. I know you love me, and I know you have great plans for me, but frankly, I'm not feeling it today. I need the Holy Spirit to help me understand the depth and breadth of your love. I want the fullness of God because that will show me how shallow and meaningless this earthly life is. I need a miraculous perspective change. Would you do that for me, because I'm asking you? Because I'm seeking you? Wait a minute. Am I really seeking you? Maybe I'm just seeking happiness and contentment, and because I know it comes through you. Maybe I'm sitting here trying to bring you into my world because I want you to make it better. And that is exactly why I need your fullness--the sheer magnitude of who you are. Please, Almighty God, reveal yourself to me. Amen. "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its

Holy Spirit, Pour Yourself out on me. I don't know why I don't talk to You more often, because I am in such desperate need of Your power and direction. Thank You for Your presence. It is powerful and overwhelming and electric. It weighs on me and yet drives me to say things I'm afraid to say and do things I'm afraid to do. That's all You. Don't leave me. Not for a second, because I can't survive without You. Convict, Impress, Direct, Ignite, Discipline, Probe, Encourage, Inspire, Lead, Overwhelm-- Anything. Just don't leave me. I am Yours, and You are unbelievably responsive to my call. I love You. Amen. "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me." (Psalm 51:11) image by Ken E

Oh, Lord, I did it again. I'm nit-picking and criticizing. I just can't stop myself. Or at least, I choose not to. I stand in front of people I love and I say unhelpful things with a big megaphone when I should just be listening. Help me to choose edifying speech. I want to give encouragement to my kids and husband, to speak lovely things about extended family and friends, to notice the good in church, school, and community organizations. I want to be a blessing to others. Lord, root out this spirit of criticism. I confess it. I know it comes from pride, and I confess it and pray against it in Jesus' name. Help me to learn your humility and your gentleness. Even when I see the wrong in something--even when I should take action against it or call it out--give me the grace to fight sin with mercy and understanding, to love sinners while hating sin. To give the Holy Spirit time to work in his own way and not according to my impatience. Why is this so hard? I am such a

It's our National Day of Prayer. What would happen if our entire nation prayed for souls ? What if, instead of praying over health care and guns and civil rights and freedom of religion and safety against terrorism and Christians in politics (all good things to pray about)-- what if we exhausted ourselves crying over lost people ? What if we focused, not on what they do, but why they do it-- what if we were grieved by our own sinful hearts instead of grieved over the disruptions into our personal liberties and intrusions into our excessive lives? What if we were willing, like Paul-- to be poured out as a drink offering? To be sacrificed for a greater cause-- for a national and global reawakening? Are we willing to pray like that? 2 Tim. 4:5-7 "But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardships, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my depart

Dear Lord, I'm speaking Your words over my crazy, jumbled life: Peace, be still. I can't calm down on my own, so help me breathe in Your beauty and Your calm. Peace, be still. I can't control the things around me, so give me the courage to stop trying, stop striving, stop worrying. Peace, be still. You guard me, around and before me. You designed me perfectly to carry out Your will. You have marked out my way. So why am I afraid? Peace, be still. I wallow in discouragement and negative thinking, and I turn aside from You, searching so many other places to find motivation, assistance, encouragement, affirmation, and love. Help me hear Your words: Peace, be still. Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? You, Prince of Peace, are the answer. Amen. "A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, 'Teacher