Shining Like A Bright Light

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

—Philippians 2:14-15 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Let everything I choose to do in this new day and in every day that follows, be done in absolute and willing submission to Christ in me—so that this life I live will produce convincing evidence that I am Your child.

Help me not to complain about anything—but choose to give You thanks in everything!  For You make provision for every need I have and use everything that I experience for Your purposes—turning all of it to my ultimate benefit.

Help me not to needlessly stir up strife between myself and others, by engaging in arrogantly prideful and self-promoting arguments—when You want me to walk humbly before others and simply speak the truth in love, leaving to You the work that only You can do in their hearts.

So let everything I do be done in cheerful obedience to You, so no one will have room to criticize me—and so that others might see that Christ is at work in me and be drawn to Him.

And help me to live cleanly and innocently—just as I should, as Your child—so that I stand out as a bright light of hope to those who are hopelessly lost and unable to find their way out of the darkness that engulfs them.

Let everything I choose to do in this new day and in every day that follows, be done in absolute and willing submission to Christ in me—so that this life I live will produce convincing evidence that I am Your child.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.