Tag: forgive

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Renew and Refresh Me Through Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. Over the course of the week, my attention and focus can so easily sway and spin like a weathervane in a storm. My devotions and prayers are a priority one day and an afterthought the next. The good and noble intentions I have as I leave your house each week fizzle and are forgotten as the week unfolds.

So again I gather with my church family in your house, not to eagerly present some proud report of all that I have done for your kingdom this week, but as a beggar, asking yet again for mercy and forgiveness. Hear my prayers again and grant me what I seek and need more than anything else: the peace and rest that go hand-in-hand with your grace and absolution. Then, having been renewed and refreshed, send me out again this week to carry out my calling as your blessed and forgiven child, and grant me the focus and discipline to follow through and carry out your will.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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Prayers from the Prodigal (Part 4)

Forgiving Father,
Through the “lost” parables in Luke 15, we become aware of how radical your grace truly is. When I am on the receiving end of your compassion and see your capacity for forgiveness, it leaves me a changed man. To be freely welcomed and fully forgiven for all that I have ever done wrong is not only life-changing, but eternity-altering! With this as my reality, there is no place for bitterness or grudges against others when they sin against me. How can I possibly withhold forgiveness from anyone else while standing before a gracious Father who has not chosen to treat me that way? No, let my willingness to forgive others be a perfect reflection of your faithful willingness to forgive me. The world does not need more unmerciful servants, but more forgiving fathers. Help me to be one.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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Prayers from the Prodigal (Part 3)

Forgiving Father,
Through the “lost” parables in Luke 15, we become aware of how radical your grace truly is. Regardless of which son we identify with – the prodigal young son or the prideful older son – we need the same thing: the forgiving father. And in you, we have just that!

As we stumble our way through this life and press on toward our heavenly home, some naturally assume that rigid rules and the threat of a strict, stern disciplinarian are necessary to keep everyone on track. But yours is a better way! Your unconditional love, your open arms, your warm welcome – these are what draw sinners to you. Moreover, it is your heart for us – not the terror or fear we feel – that keeps us on the path of your righteousness to the open door that leads to eternal life. You paid a dear price to be able to forgive us again and again and again, and the sacrifice of your own Son is our only hope for being welcomed to our eternal home. Oh, how we need a forgiving Father! And there you are, always welcoming this lost-on-his-own son, with open arms and gushing with grace. Thank you!

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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Prayers from the Prodigal (Part 2)

Forgiving Father,
Through the “lost” parables in Luke 15, we become aware of how radical your grace truly is. The father’s compassionate patience toward his older son becomes even more real to us when our eyes are opened to see how often we are that older son. While grace is by definition undeserved, we cannot escape the notion that grace is for good people and not for bad people. In our own minds, we create a narrative in which we frame ourselves to be righteous, morally superior, and filled with good intentions. When we see grace extended to those who don’t have their act together like we do, we sulk and pout just as the older brother did.  

I confess to thinking so highly of myself and so little of others. Forgive me for failing to be honest when my acts of righteousness aren’t really out of loving gratitude for you, but rather to puff up myself and pad my own spiritual resumé. Strip me of my pride and lead me instead to rejoice every time your grace wins anyone over. Welcome this prideful sinner back again, as you have so many times before, with open arms and gushing with grace. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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Prayers from the Prodigal (Part 1)

Forgiving Father,
Through the “lost” parables in Luke 15, we become aware of how radical your grace truly is. The father’s compassionate welcome of his wayward younger son becomes even more real to us when our eyes are opened to see how often we are that younger son. Rather than finding joy and satisfaction being in the presence of his father, he chose to chase after material things. Rather than faithfully serving his father and family at home, he served himself and went his own way. 

I see myself in him so often! To have you is not enough – I deceive myself into thinking that the world has something that will satisfy me more, so I chase after this and that, only to end up empty-handed. I live for me rather than for you and my fellow believers and my neighbors in need. When I fall into these traps, turn me, like the younger son, away from it all and lead me to run back to you with a repentant heart. Welcome this selfish sinner back again, as you have so many times before, with open arms and gushing with grace. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Love Radically For My Neighbor’s Sake

Loving Jesus,
While loving my enemy does not come easily, one of the blessings of putting that kind of radical love into practice is that I am displaying for others how radical your love for them is. When I avoid judging them, I am showing them a God who doesn’t judge them as they deserve. When I do not condemn them, I am showing them a God who doesn’t condemn as they deserve. When I forgive them unconditionally, I am showing them a God who forgives them unconditionally. When I pour good into their lives, I am showing them the God who is the source of all those good things. So then, when the opportunity to love my enemy arises, I ask you to grant me an increase of faith in you and all that you have done for me, so that I may faithfully and confidently love radically, and thereby show my enemy a God who loves HIM radically, too. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Love Radically For My Own Sake

Loving Jesus,
While loving my enemy does not come easily, one of the blessings of putting that kind of radical love into practice is that I am displaying a confident belief in your radical love for me. Only when I am certain that you have not judged me am I able to withhold judging others. Only when I am certain that you have not condemned me am I able to avoid condemning others. Only when I am certain that you have forgiven me am I able to forgive others. Only when I see how much goodness you have poured into my life am I able to pour good into the lives of others. So then, when the opportunity to love my enemy arises, I ask you to grant me an increase of faith in you and all that you have done for me, so that I may faithfully and confidently love radically, as I KNOW you have loved me.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Imitate Joseph

Forgiving Father,
When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers visiting him in Egypt, two things stood out about his handling of the situation that I want to imitate. First, even with all the traumatic experiences in his past that had taken place to get him to that point, he displayed complete confidence in your navigation of it all for the greater good. He knew you were using those seasons of adversity, during which he must have felt hopeless at times, to ultimately bless and save many lives through his leadership. Remind me during hard seasons in my life of how capable you are of bringing your blessing out of any situation imaginable, and lead me to trust that you are doing just that.

Secondly, even though Joseph was in a position to ignore, shame, severely punish, or even put to death his brothers for their past treatment of him, he harbored no ill will and showed them nothing but love and affection. How hard this is when others mistreat me! I prefer to ruminate over how poorly I was treated, bathe in bitterness, or scheme to get even in some fashion. But Joseph’s is the better way, because it is your way. You did not treat those who mistreated you the way they deserved to be treated. Instead, you forgave them; you forgave me. Give me the same spirit that is eager to forgive and reconcile, no matter the wrong carried out against me, just as Joseph and Jesus did.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Not Withhold Forgiveness

Forgiving Father,
Help me forgive others. While forgiveness is central to the Christian faith, there are times I struggle to forgive others. There are some sins, some hurts, some wrongs, that are just difficult to move past, whether directed at me or others. Other times the issue is that I manufacture my own ideas of behavior or words that I demand to see from others so that I can determine if they are remorseful enough to deserve my forgiveness. 

But that isn’t how forgiveness works when you extend it to me. Neither should I allow it to be my approach when forgiving others. Help me to let go of anything I might harbor in my heart that would hinder me from freely forgiving others. When my own self-righteousness, bitterness, or resentment interfere with my forgiving of others, sweep such sin out of my heart. Instead, let my forgiveness be full and swift, no matter the wrong committed or the individual who committed it. In that way let my forgiveness toward others imitate your forgiveness toward me.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Forgive Others

Merciful Father,
Forgiveness is foundational to my faith. Indeed, it is why I can even approach you with my prayers in the first place. No words or expression of my thanks could ever fully capture how grateful I am for your forgiveness.

Yet as appreciative as I am for your willingness to forgive me, still I struggle more than I should with forgiving others. There are those whose actions have left me with significant scars. There are others who have carried out unimaginably despicable things against others. In cases like these, it can be easier for me to withhold my forgiveness and to bear a grudge. I know better, yet I remain bitter. 

In such cases, fix my eyes to your cross, where I see again the price you paid for my forgiveness. Remind me that even though I daily give you every reason to bear a grudge against me, to remain bitter toward me, and to withhold your forgiveness from me, instead you choose to forgive all of my sin. Always. Give me your grace to always forgive others in that same way.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.