DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Do the Work

Gracious Lord,
Each day is a gift from you, twenty-four hours freely entrusted to us to manage in a manner that shows honor, love, and respect to you and my neighbor. One of the great enemies behind the mismanagement of our time is procrastination. When I allow myself to put off certain responsibilities or delay plans until I feel like following through, it shouldn’t surprise me that such feelings almost never seem to show up. Feelings don’t fuel traction; taking action does. Grant me the self-discipline to avoid internal back-and-forth conversations debating my drive to get things done, and instead nudge me to start moving in the right direction. I have goals and plans and dreams, all of which you can richly bless as you see fit. Guide me to give you something to bless, not by putting things off, but by putting the work in. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Have and See the Blessings of Patience

Dear God,
While your timing is perfect, my patience is not. Virtually every area of life has sped up over time, meaning we are used to getting what we want almost immediately. We don’t have to wait until a certain night of the week for our favorite show – we can stream it right now. Same-day delivery means days or weeks of waiting for our purchase is most often a thing of the past. Our meals can be heated up in minutes and our phones give us instant answers and feedback on anything we want to know.

As a result, we aren’t accustomed to waiting. Having to do so can make us anxious and irritable. We struggle to wait in line or at the stop light. And we also struggle with the timing of your promises. We want you to keep them on our time, not yours. We want you to act now, not months or years from now. So I ask you to be patient with me in the midst of my impatience. Forgive me. Grant me a spirit that can slow down and wait. Let me use my windows of waiting for prayer and spiritual reflection, and allow me to see the many blessings of patience in my life and in my interactions with others. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.