DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Be More Patient With Myself

Patient Lord,
The life of a believer is a life of patience. Ever since the Fall in Eden, your people have waited on the perfect timing of your promises. Yet our patience runs so thin, not just with others, but also with ourselves. Even when we struggle with patience for others, we will know how necessary it is, but we don’t always allow ourselves the same latitude. We get frustrated with ourselves when we repeat the same mistakes, when we forget things we should have remembered, and when we don’t make progress in an area of our lives as quickly as we’d like. Help us, Lord, not just to be patient with others, but also with ourselves. Let us not be so hasty to beat ourselves up over shortcomings. Lead us to give ourselves grace – since you already have! We aren’t perfect, but we have a Savior who is. If you are patient with us (and have every right not to be!), then enable us to be more patient with ourselves as you grow us. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Take the First Step

God of Reconciliation,
Only you know how many friendships and relationships are on life support right now. While both parties in some of those situations may actually be better off by going their separate ways, many other relationships can not only be salvaged, but even prosper through reconciliation. I pray for the individuals in those situations to be open to the possibility of restoring their relationship. Free them from any bitterness or anger between them that has only hardened them even more. Burst their pride and overwhelm them with a clear sense of the magnitude of your forgiveness for them, so that they are spurred on to forgive each other. Make each party willing to make the first move, whether that includes a confession or a call to repentance. Give them a sensitivity to the hurt or pain they may have caused, and allow your gospel to take center stage as they work toward reconciliation. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Protect the Reputation of Others

Dear Lord,
When you call us to speak well of others and protect their reputation, that certainly includes telling the truth about them at all times. But it also means speaking up to defend them when that reputation is being slandered or called into question. Give me the courage to speak up for others who are not present or who cannot speak up for themselves. On the other side, make me bold enough to admonish or correct those who gossip or spread false rumors about others. Forgive me for when I’ve failed on both ends, and shape my heart to reflect yours in how I treat others, whether in their presence or not. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For the Blessing of Medication

Great Physician,
Thank you for the blessings of medicine and for doctors trained to prescribe the right medication when needed. Since so many factors can affect the effectiveness of medication and its side effects, it can be challenging to determine the proper prescriptions. Whenever complications arise as a result of new medication or changes to how it is administered, give doctors insight into possible causes so they can make adjustments, and give patients the patience to weather any resulting changes they experience. Help us view medicine not as a replacement for maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle, but as a complement to it when necessary. Guard drug companies from greed, and guide them instead by a desire to help heal and restore those affected by sickness and disease.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Provide Father Figures for Those Without Fathers

Father God,
There are so many young men being raised without the strong presence of a loving, firm father. Many dads have checked out, either through busyness or selfishness, essentially abdicating their responsibility to father their children. In other cases, dad isn’t even in the picture, leaving mom to single-handedly carry out his responsibility in raising his child(ren). Lead godly men to be aware of such situations and, with the parent or guardian’s blessing, give these Christ-like men the courage to help take young men under their wing to guide and encourage them as a father-figure would. Use them to provide examples of biblical manhood, displaying humble confidence and spiritual strength, while also showing sacrificial service and loving care to others. Model for them strong marriages and family blessings, so they are inspired to aspire to follow these godly examples. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Satisfy Me with Your Salvation

Living Water,
You alone provide the living water we need to satisfy our souls. I know it. I believe it. Yet, so frequently I still find myself looking to the wrong things for that satisfaction. When I do, they either fail to deliver or even leave me worse off than I was before. But the fault is entirely mine for passing up what I have in you in favor of anything else that will only disappoint. Train me to turn to you at all times, for you alone can satisfy what my heart truly longs for with your living water: the grace and peace that flow from your completed work of salvation for me. May this alone satisfy me daily as nothing else can.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Relief From Sin’s Burdens

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. When we walk through the doors of your house of worship, we bring with us the spiritual and emotional baggage we have accumulated over the course of the past week. Through confession, lead us to own up to our self-imposed burdens, the ones brought on by our own sins. Remove also the hurt from sins committed against us. By the remembrance of our baptism, lighten our load. Where your Supper is served, feed hungry souls longing for the taste of grace and your assurance of forgiveness. While we may enter your presence bearing these burdens and heavy loads, ensure that we depart empty-handed, with lighter hearts and refreshed spirits, renewed and eager to love and serve you and our neighbor. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Your Love to Shape Mine

Lord of Love,
You love me with an everlasting love, which is mind-blowing in its own right, but even more so when I realize how unloving I can be! Thank you for never withdrawing your love from me, even when I am lacking love for others. My love is too frequently the antithesis of a 1 Corinthians 13 love. Yes, help me love my enemies, of course, but also to love everyone else well. Replace my cold indifference with warm intention, seeking to speak and show love to others whenever opportunities arise. Heighten my awareness of the depths of your love for me, so that I might better replicate such radical love toward others. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Contentment

Loving Father,
Fill me with contentment today. Let it be based on an awareness of my identity – that I am doubly yours! Not only did you lovingly and wonderfully bring me into existence to be yours with this gift of life, but you also paid the ultimate price to secure me back from Satan. I am yours twice over! Since I belong to you, every grand and gracious promise in your Word is mine, too. You will never leave me or neglect me. You will provide everything I will ever need. You will bring triumph out of any trouble. You will make right all wrongs against me in your own way and time. You will never lose patience with me. You will always love me. What else could I need when I have everything in you? Let my heart sing today with the beautiful harmony of gratitude and contentment. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Heal Broken Marriages

God of Marriage,
You instituted the blessed gift of marriage. Through it, you provide husbands and wives with an opportunity to experience from each other small samples of the unconditional grace and unwavering commitment that you show to believers. Sadly, when infidelity or adultery shatters a marriage, it turns one of your greatest gifts into one of the most painful hurts. Where husbands have caused this hurt, lead them to true repentance and work in them both a genuine desire to reconcile, and also a willingness to show it by their fruit. Where husbands have been on the receiving end of this hurt, heal their hearts, provide them with an abundant measure of grace and patience, and lead them on a path that arrives at forgiveness. Wherever possible, provide those involved with the strength and courage to make every effort to repair and restore the broken marriage bond, so that by your grace, it might be stronger than ever, and Satan’s plans fail miserably.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.