Tag: speak

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Reply to Others With Gentleness

Gentle Savior,
Help me remain in control of how I respond to others. Just because our society has normalized rage-filled responses any time a person is set off doesn’t mean you permit it. Instead, let our responses be filled with gentleness and self-control. Forgive us for knowingly and intentionally allowing ourselves to be drawn into divisive dialogues that will feed our sinful desire to quarrel and fight. Guard our hearts from such temptations and grant us wisdom to avoid the allure of arguing. If my conversations are always to be seasoned with salt, dear Lord, give me the discipline to be slow to respond. Doing so will not only allow me time to carefully choose the words I use, but also to consider how my response could be taken by others. Finally, give me the discernment to know when it’s wise to avoid providing a response that I may regret, and the humility to realize that my opinion is not so valuable that I need to express it about everything going on around me. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For the Courage to Correct When Necessary

Spirit of Truth,
Give me the courage to speak up to brothers in the faith who need to be called out or rebuked for one reason or another. Whether they are stuck in sin, settling for worldly satisfactions, or lacking the desire or discipline to pursue you more deeply and faithfully, make me bold to speak up. When I am ready to say something, ensure that my heart and my attitude are grounded in pure motives and a longing for what is best for my brother(s). Break down any barriers that would hinder others from listening to correction, and use these challenging situations to foster healthy spiritual growth all around. And, when others have the courage to correct or admonish me when I need it, quiet my own stubborn spirit so that I receive it properly and take it to heart. Cause me to be grateful that you have placed godly, mature Christian men in my life who care enough to correct me.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Be Your Witness

Savior of All,
It isn’t complicated. I know my salvation. Countless others do not. Make me a witness. Present me with opportunities to point others to Jesus that are so undeniable and unavoidable that I absolutely cannot help but speak up, no matter how timid I might otherwise be. Then, open my mouth! Send your Spirit to cover me with courage, confidence, compassion, and clarity, so that I both honor you in how I make you known and pave the path by which your Spirit may allow the seeds of faith to germinate. Afterward, cause my heart to soar, not merely based on the outcome or results, which you alone are responsible for, but simply at the privilege of getting to make you known! Let such experiences continually kindle in me an increasing desire to be eager to evangelize. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Bless Marriages with Healthy Communication

Lord God,
Marriage is surely one of your greatest gifts, but it requires much effort and hard work. Married couples face many unique challenges, but there is often one underlying issue behind the vast majority of them: a lack of communication. This can manifest itself in a variety of ways, but when communication breaks down, it can easily lead to other problems. Then, unfortunately, couples misdiagnose those specific problems as the cause of all their troubles, when in reality, poor communication or a lack of communication was the real culprit. Enable husbands and wives to see where their communication needs improvement, equip them with both the desire and the skills to address it, and help their marriage flourish and thrive as they grow in their ability to communicate with each other.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Kindness

Kind Savior,
Let kindness be evident in the way I treat others. When that means taking an extra moment to slow down from busyness to acknowledge someone else and take time to listen, help me be aware of it. Guide me also to speak kindly to others in general, so that when they leave a conversation with me, they feel uplifted and positive. When kindness doesn’t require words, let my actions and gestures display it. Guard me against favoritism, so that my kindness isn’t limited only to those I choose. Bless others who could benefit from being built up in even small ways through my deliberate efforts at being kind. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Keep Me From Gossiping

Gracious Father,
Guard me from gossip on all fronts – from initiating it, from listening to it, and from passing it along to others. Should gossip ever reach our ears, let it die there. You call us not to tear down, discredit, or slander the reputation of others, but to speak well of them and defend them. When we justify discussing the negative words and actions of others because they’re true, what we don’t often realize – and need to confess – is that our hearts in those cases aren’t. Forgive me for speaking ill of others – even when it is the truth – when the motivations of my heart are malicious or unloving. Move me instead to use my words to build up and edify others, to praise and speak well of them, to guard and protect their reputation whenever I can, for a good name is a great treasure!

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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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

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For the Confidence to Have the Difficult Conversation

Dear Jesus,
Today I pray for the courage to finally have a difficult conversation I’ve been avoiding for too long. I’ve played out how the conversation could go so many times in my mind, and I’ve allowed my fear of the possible outcome to paralyze and prevent me from actually initiating it. I know avoiding it is not the solution; it only prolongs the burdensome weight of unnecessarily carrying the extra emotional baggage around. Give me a spirit of self-discipline to lay out the steps necessary to finally have this conversation, and the humble confidence to patiently, lovingly carry it out. Guide me to trust you to provide the words I need, give me grace in speaking them, and grant that what I say is heard and received in a healthy way and with understanding. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Be a Better Listener

Gracious Father,
Good communication involves a variety of different elements, many of which are often ignored or overlooked. In a society that celebrates things like expressing oneself, speaking up, and activism, being a good listener at times seems to be a dying art. Help me to prioritize listening to others rather than focusing on making sure that others hear me. We feel valued when someone takes the time to listen to us, and I want others to sense that when I am communicating with them.

Keep me from listening only long enough to get in the next word. Guard me from being distracted or drifting as I listen, even when the topic or matter of discussion is of little or no interest to me, because the individual does matter to me. Give me discernment to know when others need to me to listen simply because they want to be heard or when they are looking for advice or a solution. Finally, provide me with plenty of practice listening in the best way possible, by hearing you speak to me daily through your Word. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Measure My Words

Gracious Savior,
When I allow myself to become angry or irritated, especially by someone else’s words or actions, that is when I am most likely to unleash an unfiltered and unloving response of my own, either verbally or from a keyboard. Such words have never contributed positively to better understanding or resolution, and they never will. Furthermore, that kind of communication isn’t just hurtful to my neighbor; it’s also sin against you, my God. Have mercy on me and forgive my many thoughtlessly spoken (or typed!) words!

Instead, help me to speak only what builds others up. Let my words be words of encouragement, that others may find them to be a breath of fresh air. Even when I am called to admonish or correct, the words I use, along with my tone and body language, should better reflect the loving motives of my heart. If I am to speak in a way that edifies others and honors you, I need to be able to first keep my emotions in check. Let your Holy Spirit guard and guide my heart, so that the words which flow from it serve my neighbor and are always pleasing in your sight.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.