7 Prayers That Work

Lord Jesus,

Please forgive me for feeling sorry for myself.
You are great.
You are powerful.
You are enough.

Thank you for your grace and mercy towards me.
And help me to love difficult people
and remember that I am also one of them.

In Jesus' name, 
Amen.


"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25)

Okay, Lord,

It's not fair.

I've helped, 
loved, 
sacrificed,
strived,
planned,
performed,
adjusted,
given mercy,
reached out,
supported,
affirmed,
lovingly confronted,
dreamed,
achieved--

and what do I receive?

Criticism,
slander,
misunderstanding,
rejection,
misrepresentation,
betrayal,
indifference,
ignorance,
bigotry,
judgment,
discrimination,
correction,
unfriendliness.

It's not fair.

No, it's not.
Is this what suffering is?
Is this what you warned me about--
what you said it would happen?

I just didn't expect it from Christians.
From church people.
From friends.
From people who smile at me and shake my hand
and whisper about me when I'm not around.

Yes, it happened to Job.
It happened to Moses.
It happened to David.
It happened to you.

Okay, I see why it happens to me.

Friends and family will turn against someone 
who stands for justice, mercy, purpose, and righteousness.
Someone who gives grace will get criticism back.
Someone who listens to the venom of his critics will still need to smile and walk aw…

God Jehovah, Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ,

Fall on my city and my country.

Cover our capital like a heavy blanket with your presence,
with an aura of peace and brotherhood.
Whisper into hallways and alleys
that peace, love, mercy, and diversity
reflect who you are and who you made each of us to be.

Convict the haters that they live in opposition to you, regardless of their political and religious attachments.
They do not represent you,
and they tarnish the cause of Christ
and the essence of the gospel.

Remind Christ-followers everywhere
that they are responsible to be the light--
not a political light, but a spiritual light.
You do not need politicians or policies to advance your kingdom.
You need believers full of love and mercy.

Your kingdom is not of this world.

You are about releasing people from spiritual darkness
and physical affliction and emotional enslavement.

You came to bandage the brokenhearted,
give release for prisoners,
give sight to the blind,
family for the orphan and…

I read this passage this morning. It's startling and challenging, and it compelled me to pray.


Isaiah 26:3-4--"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal."

Lord God of Heaven,

I want peace from stress and anxiety.
I want direction for my energy,
creativity in my calling,
success in my life.

You call me to steadfastness:
to lean fast,
support myself,
stand firm,
uphold
my conception, imagination, purpose, mindfulness.

I cannot trust your will without becoming steadfast in what you've already imparted to me.

That's how I learn to trust you.
Not by getting you to rubber-stamp what I'm doing
or what I want to do.
Trust comes from watching you be God in my life,
not by being god of my own life.

Trust is
confidence,
boldness,
security.
It's a decision I make,
not a promise You make.

I want peace in my soul, spirit, and body.
In my life
every day.

Th…

Okay, Lord,

I'm sick.
You know that.
I've had this virus for 5 days now,
and I'm just coming to you to pray about it.

Perhaps you've heard me groaning at night,
gasping for air,
struggling to sleep.

I honestly haven't thought about praying over this bug.
I'm just taking my cold medicine and letting it run its course.
Seems silly to pray, yet silly not to.

Lord, please heal me.
Heal my soul.
Heal my body.
I'm sick, and I don't take it seriously.

My heart is craving selfishness,
yet I believe myself a good person.
My mind is critical and complaining,
yet I consider myself thankful.
My body yearns for a life of pleasure,
yet I claim to be satisfied with you.

I'm not satisfied.
I'm broken.
I'm sick.
And at the moment, I'm incredibly stuffy and achey.

What do you want me to learn about you today?
How would you like to use me
(other than bolstering the tissue industry)?
Would you please heal me?
I have work to do.
What you would have me do?
Ma…

Lord,


Help me to give grace,
to be patient,
to be forgiving,
to be full of mercy and understanding.

I do not want to be entitled,
vengeful,
bitter, 
or defeated.

I want to be like you.
But that's incredibly difficult.
Impossible.
Please help me love even those who hurt me.

In Jesus' name,
Amen.


“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.(Matthew 5:43-48)

Dear Lord of heaven and earth,

Thank you for another year. It's a blessing. All of it. Life is a gift.

Thank you.

Thank you for my family, friends, children, and the means to communicate with them and enjoy them. Thank you for my marriage and my home.

Thank you for a safe neighborhood, running water and electricity, new clothes, food choices, electronics and appliances, cars, heat, air conditioning, comfort. Thank you for the ability to get things I want or need. Thank you for all that I take for granted in this country. I'm ashamed that I ever complain about what you provide for me.

Thank you for the police and fire departments, for civil services, hospitals, schools, government. Thank you that although our institutions are flawed, that fairness, equality, and justice are still important in my country. Thank you for the right to vote and get an attorney if I need one. Once again, I'm ashamed that I feel entitled to better government and perfect living conditions when most…