Leaving The Past Behind

Lord,

Thank you that my life is in your hands.

I can shake off the burdens of my past,

the regrets and failures,

trusting you will work all things for my good,

and reveal to me the treasures hidden in darkness.

I praise you for your wisdom, discernment,

and counsel dispensed into my spirit,

your molding, pruning, and stretching;

forging me in your continuous flame of love

as I am being created in your image.

I forget what is behind,

you clear my vision for what lies ahead.

No more shadows looming in the future,

or expectations and assumptions I should fulfill,

but surrendered and free, I look to you today,

in this moment,

the gift of your presence with me,

let me run with you.

I bless you Lord.

Amen.

Advertisement

Saved And Free

Lord,

thank you for saving me

from the pit of hell where my sins condemned me,

thank you for healing my soul

to understand true love,

your heart that gives, loves,

sets frees, empowers with no guile,

thank you for delivering me

out of the systems of this world,

from the power of the sin and death,

and giving me life eternal,

breathing your Spirit into mine,

awakening word, life, and spirit within me.

Help me to keep myself undefiled by the world,

guarding my heart

from the lies that I’m not enough,

enslaving me to materialism, quick fixes, and busyness

that suffocate my spirit,

and snuff out your Light,

all that you have already done.

Give me grace to renew my mind,

cleansing thoughts to be in alignment

with your Truth, your Word, your Spirit,

that your Spirit and Word dwelling within me

would have free reign

to be, express, live, and love,

establishing your holiness

wherever I go.

There’s nothing I bring to you,

except arms wide open to receive your love

again and again,

empty hands casting away my failures and good credentials,

to fully grasp, cling, hold onto

all that you have done,

I could never save myself,

you have done it all,

and I will praise you and love you always.

I bless you Lord.

Amen.

Secure In God

Lord,

thank you,

you get me,

you know me better than I know myself,

through my images,

visages and projections,

covering up,

diverting away from my sin and grime,

you peel it off,

layer by layer,

a gentle scrub,

a piercing cut,

a healing balm

revealing blood-infused life,

new wineskin,

your spirit resurrecting

the dead within.

You’ve got me,

walking, fumbling

in my new identity,

unsure, uncertain,

but following your voice,

messing up,

getting stuck,

dangling in transition,

but…

your Spirit a powerhouse within,

overcoming, rerouting all my failures,

using all my compost for life abundant,

growing and guiding me,

to live free and strong

from the inside out,

your hand upon me,

you’ll never let me go.

I rest secure in you.

Thank you Lord.

Amen.

Sweet Companionship

Lord,

You have shown me the Father,

gentle, generous, gracious, and kind,

good, wise, and perfect,

disciplining me for my good,

keeping me within pleasant boundaries

that are good for my soul.

You are my Provider,

meeting all my needs,

you are my Comforter,

you will never leave me nor forsake me.

You have given me everything I need,

every spiritual blessing

to walk in holiness and perfection in your eyes.

Help me to joyfully fellowship with you

in your suffering,

as you walked a stranger in this world.

Let me let go of my familiarity with the world,

to be your friend,

that my attachments to this world would fade away

in the light of your beautiful face,

and help me to just be still and walk

with you in the garden,

knowing there’s no other place I’d rather be

than with you as your companion.

I still my heart,

focusing my inward gaze upon you,

and I praise you and bless your Name.

Amen.

Sojourners

Lord,

help me to embrace the tension of being in this world

yet living for eternity.

Increase my faith,

let them be pillars within me,

to stand in your spiritual truths,

in the midst of culture’s temptations and my flesh.

Help me to examine my heart again and again

to clearly see and understand what I am truly living for.

Sift up my own deception,

expose my blind spots

where I am living for temporal comfort and gain.

I repent to you where the lines have gotten muddied in me,

and I ask you to cleanse my heart,

renew a right spirit,

grant me your perspective and incentive,

restore joy, peace, and hope

and help me to be steadfast in you.

Let me be ok in the struggle,

with the wrestle,

understanding that this is your call,

to live in your Spirit,

at odds with a world running the other way.

Help me to be wise and save souls,

obeying your voice,

following your instructions,

conducting myself honorably,

submitting my heart to your Word,

that the fruit of the Spirit

would bear witness to this world

of your Light.

Help me Lord,

you are worthy.

Amen.

Happy And Content

Lord,

help me to be present,

taking a moment,

catching a breath,

to remember you’re with me,

and be aware of your Spirit,

knowing I’m loved,

not by what I do,

but by all you’ve done.

Let me be content,

letting go of perfect,

leaning in, being ok,

and making peace with broken places,

letting your light,

your comfort shine through.

Let me serve you rightly,

pursuing you,

living to please you,

with joy, gratitude, and overflow,

simply as me,

no false burdens, guilt, or expectations,

exactly where I’m at…

with my few loaves and fishes,

offering back my gifts to you,

taking care of my small garden plot,

being faithful and diligent

in the small things…

they count, they matter,

trusting you,

sinking into your grace,

knowing you’re sufficient,

happy that with you,

I lack no good thing.

Let my heart be at peace,

giving life to my body,

joyfully giving my life for you.

Amen.

Known

Lord,

Thank you that over the years

of melting my walls

and drawing me to you,

through knowing you,

you have shown me… me,

and I have to know her

a little bit better, a little bit more.

You’re kind, gentle, and gracious,

you won me in my stiff-necked rebellion,

you’re merciful to me in my willful independence,

you’ve held the line with discipline and safe boundaries,

other times giving me over to my choices

with painful lessons learned,

treasures still to be reaped in darkness.

You’re my good Father.

I’ve found more and more,

that you know best,

my Creator,

you know me best,

and I can yield to trust you,

though I’m still learning how.

You’ve taken a child of shame,

and brought me into your marvelous light,

and I pray to fellowship with you

walking in your grace,

enjoying you,

being simply me,

all the days of my life.

Amen.

This Is Love

Abba,

thank you for sending your Son,

giving Him up

to die for me.

This is love,

your suffering,

His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world.

You have given me salvation, freedom, and hope.

Let me walk through my day

ever remembering your love’s cost,

knowing you’re intimate with my suffering,

and that your love,

how high, long, wide, and deep it is

to enjoy and delight in,

that overwhelms, comforts, and transforms me.

Abba, you know me,

you understand me,

I am your beloved,

and it is well with my soul.

Thank you Abba.

Amen.

Peace Be Still

Lord,

Arrest me and gently draw my attention

when my mind is frozen in a whirling buzz

and stuck in anxious cycling.

Let your shalom break in

settling and grounding my body, mind, and soul.

Help me to be aware of unhelpful forces within

propelling me in reaction,

where I involve myself in distractions and busyness

you never called me in to.

Break in and deliver me from the root of anxiety within me.

I repent, acknowledging my helplessness before you.

I proclaim it is not my function or my portion,

yet it is all I’ve known,

so by faith I ask Lord for your mercy,

establish your peace that transcends all understanding in its place.

Still my body, heart, and brain to rest and heal.

Let me live guided by your peace,

moving at your pace,

and speak into my heart

your words of mercy, comfort, and life,

that I am accepted, enough, beloved in you.

Help me understand my true function

and your purposes for me,

pour out your Spirit of grace

so I may always turn back to you,

returning to truth, simplicity, stillness, and peace,

and be empowered to do your works by faith,

what you have portioned for my hands to do,

and find contentment

exactly as I am, where I am, wherever you lead,

wholly, fully present for this beautiful life

you have gifted me

that I may know you, know your joy,

and give you thanks and praise

every day, all my days.

Thank you for your power and peace Lord,

you are able.

Amen.

My Great Reward

Lord,

You are God

having all the fullness of divinity,

yet you never regarded your being,

your right, your position

as something to cling to or display.

You surrendered all

to put on the skin of man,

and was obedient unto death for love.

Now you are most exalted,

your Name above every name.

King of kings and the Lord of lords

may I serve you wholeheartedly, single-mindedly,

seeing you in my midst wherever you place me.

Please let me know your heart of selflessness,

grant me the grace to keep my heart humble

before you and man.

Deliver me from the fear of man,

my anxious striving and man-pleasing work.

Sensitize me to my need for love,

and all the idols I seek to fill it,

that I may repent and turn to you,

knowing you are my only Source and Sustainer,

the Lover of my soul.

Let my heart be free,

just to serve you, love you, be with you

wherever you are, wherever you go,

wherever you would have me follow,

because it is all from you,

all to you.

You are my great reward,

let me seek and find you always.

Amen.