DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Those Providing Care for Others

Dear God,
Those who are committed to caring for others provide a tremendous service to society. There are so many in need of care of all kinds – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Physical therapists, counselors, and pastors go to significant lengths to receive adequate training for these roles, but family members and friends often fill them in various ways, too. Thank you for the sacrifices they are willing to make to provide this valuable care to others. Give them perseverance and strength for their responsibilities when they are tired and worn out. Uplift them with words of encouragement and appreciation when they are emotionally drained. Above all, refresh them with the spiritual rest you freely offer, forgiving their sins and securing their salvation by your loving sacrifice for them and for all people.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Live and Lead with Kindness

Caring Savior,
Help me to live and lead with kindness today. If I become frustrated or irritated by some personal issue, do not allow me to let that justify my impatience or meanness toward others. When others say or do something that is unkind or uncaring to me, keep me from responding to them in the same way. Regardless of the circumstances, let kindness color my thoughts, so that it may also permeate all of my words and actions. Let my considerate gestures, thoughtful compliments, and friendly demeanor toward others be a blessing to them and a delight in your eyes. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Appreciate the Blessing of Work

Gracious God,
While you created us to tend the garden and care for creation, the Fall forever corrupted our perfect relationship with the blessing of work. It is primarily our own sin and selfishness which drive our disdain for work. But, when we add deadlines, bosses on power trips, and self-centered co-workers to the mix, we find even more reasons to dread the workplace. 

Use us to provide an example that stands out from the negative perception of work that is so common in the world. Help us to recapture the positive relationship with work that you always intended. May we celebrate it as an outlet for creativity and problem-solving, and a place to provide purpose and meaningful contribution to a collective effort. Through our work, give us the satisfaction of overcoming obstacles and the joy of a job well done. Let our favorable speech, body language, and attitude toward our jobs stand out so much to others that they’re drawn to ask us for the reason behind it, then give us the courage to direct that conversation to you.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Be Driven By Eternal Rewards

Eternal Father,
When I get caught up chasing after rewards and recognition this world offers, remind me that my greatest rewards aren’t going to be received on this side of heaven. The rewards of your grace, earned and secured for me by Jesus Christ, are far superior to the best that this world could ever offer. Nevertheless, that which is immediately tangible and able to be experienced here and now so easily grabs my attention and focus. Guard me from being led astray by short-lived success. Let the joy and certainty of eternal blessings prompt my relentless drive and passion in all that I do in this life, and let it also work in me a burning zeal to be about your kingdom and your purposes. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Have the Tough Conversations

Holy Spirit,
Prompt me to have the difficult conversations. In an effort to avoid conflict or raise tensions, I so easily believe the lie that I’m better off steering away from tough talks with others. No matter how much I try to convince myself that an issue or concern will simply take care of itself eventually, the reality more often is that putting off talking about it only makes it worse. Give me the desire to be more assertive and insistent, not so that I would steamroll others or abrasively force conversations, but simply so that I prioritize having them. When I do, open my ears to listen first, grant me wisdom to process what I hear, and give me grace and patience to respond truthfully. Bless these difficult situations with resolution, and use them to make me a better communicator and enhance my interpersonal skills.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Prepare for the Holidays

Dear Lord,
As October gives way to November, Thanksgiving and the holidays will be here soon. This time of year brings many opportunities for gathering together with family and friends, which can also usher in plenty of stress and anxiety. Keep me grounded in what matters – you – and guard me from over-scheduling and overcommitting myself and/or my family. Help those inclined to say yes to too much because they struggle with people-pleasing. Provide them with gracious and thoughtful responses to politely decline unnecessary activities or events. Let us manage our time well right now so that we allow opportunity for looking ahead and being well-prepared and ready for the upcoming weeks. In doing so, we can establish margin and boundaries to ensure that the holidays bring more blessing than burden.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Treasure Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. Today I reflect on the countless saints throughout history and in the present who have shared the common experience of being able to gather together in your presence around your Word and Sacrament. Although that worship has varied drastically during different periods of history and among different cultures, how beautiful it is to know that we have shared and celebrated the same Savior. It is the blood of that Savior, Jesus, which makes saints out of souls – regardless of language, social status, age, and skin color, creating a magnificent tapestry within your Church. Lead believers to regard worship as one of the most precious activities your saints can ever participate in, for it is a foretaste of when we will all be gathered together with saints past, present, and future in your glorious presence. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Guard Me From Hypocrisy

Loving Savior,
When it comes to hypocrites, or false believers, you didn’t mince words when warning them of condemnation while here on earth. And rightly so! Not only were they outside of the kingdom of God, but they also threatened others by potentially leading them astray and outside of your kingdom as well. 

Although we are not hypocrites in the strict biblical sense of being false believers, we do find ourselves acting hypocritically. We know your Word and will well enough, and do not hesitate to point out to others when they fail to live by it, but we ourselves can’t keep from breaking it. Lead us always to repentance when we are aware of this (and even when we’re not!), and guide us to grasp the importance of striving to match our words and our actions so that our hypocrisy would never turn others away from you. Rather than displaying a pharisaical hypocrisy, let your grace always abound and be evident both in me and through me.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Boast in You Alone

Christ My Savior,
Whenever you grant me success and whatever it looks like, may my response always be the same: to boast only in you alone. All that I am and any good that comes from me is worked through you. Through the Spirit, you provide me with a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline, along with all other spiritual gifts and blessings. You build your church through Word and Sacrament, equipping your saints to be salt and light in the world. When I am inclined to think too highly of myself and take credit for your work, humble me and prompt me to praise you instead. Only your name saves, so let yours alone be the name that I magnify and exalt. You have done, still do, and will keep on doing great things for those who are yours. Let others know about it through my boasting.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Guide Me in Self-Discipline

Sanctifying Spirit,
Along with power and love, you equip us with a spirit of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). Apart from you we only know darkness and are enslaved by sinful and rebellious attitudes. Without your enlightenment, the evil one deceives us, hiding our lack of discipline behind a false freedom that convinces us we’re in control and in charge of our lives.

But, when your grace opens our eyes to see the truth, we see how blind we truly were. Only by faith do we welcome and embrace a spirit of self-discipline. We desire to turn away from temptation and go to war against wickedness. We are eager to rebuke unrighteousness in our own lives and shield ourselves from Satan. Intensify the spirit of self-discipline within us so that we are determined to establish sound spiritual boundaries in our lives to help guard and protect ourselves. Guide us to pursue what is good and pure and noble in your sight, so that we magnify you with our whole lives. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.