Godly Sorrow

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

—2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

When I sin, let me experience the kind of sorrow that leads me away from sin and ends with no regret—because of the salvation that You bring to anyone who truly repents.

Carry me in my sorrows that I would be led away from sin and fully experience the joy of my salvation.

Guide me clear of any pretense of repentance over my sin and help me recognize any world-like sorrow in myself—any tendency to only be sorry that my sin was found out and exposed, rather than to be willing to immediately stop and turn away from my sin.

Help me to see my heart clearly and reject any evil I may find there, choosing instead to run to Your rescuing arms—as You keep me from spiritual death and guide me down the path that leads to the abundant life I can have in You.

When I sin, let me experience the kind of sorrow that leads me away from sin and ends with no regret—because of the salvation that You bring to anyone who truly repents.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

You Who Are Willing To Listen

“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies!  Do good to those who hate you.  Bless those who curse you.  Pray for those who hurt you.”

“Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”

—Luke 6:27-28, 31 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Help me be one who is willing to listen to Your instructions—and to love and do good to everyone, just as I would want others to do to me.

Help me not to allow how others treat me, or mistreat me, to determine the path that I walk down—but rather make my path straight and my way sure, as I listen and follow the example that was set before me in Christ.

Show me how truly loving another person does not mean enabling them to continue to sin—for in doing so I become an active participant in the sin.  Instead, help me always to stand for both truth and grace—as expressed through Christ’s perfect love—as equally necessary parts of any good relationship I might have.

Let my actions reflect my love for You and let my love for others be an outflow of that love for You—as I surrender the desires of my mind, will and emotions to the control of Your Holy Spirit, so I can walk in the obedience, freedom and joy You have reserved for those who choose to follow Christ.

Help me do good to those who hate me, bless those who curse me and always pray for those who hurt me—so that they might be rescued by Your love from the sin that enslaves them.

Help me be one who is willing to listen to Your instructions—and to love and do good to everyone, just as I would want others to do to me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Courage To Not Hide The Truth

We will not hide these truths from our children;
    we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the LORD,
    about his power and his mighty wonders.

So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
    not forgetting his glorious miracles
    and obeying his commands.

—Psalm 78:4,7 (NLT)

LORD God,

Grant me the courage to leave a legacy of Truth to my children and to the next generation, as I boldly proclaim to them Your glorious deeds, Your unlimited power and Your mighty wonders—that they would set their hope anew on You, remembering Your glorious miracles and obeying all Your commands.

Keep me from any fear of sharing the Truth of Your Word with my children and those that follow after me—from any fear that the relationship I now have with them would be damaged or severed, if I were to speak the Truth more boldly.

Help me to share freely what Your Word says about You, but also how You have proven Your Word to be Truth in the circumstances of my own life—as You have demonstrated Your love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy and grace on every page of the story of my life.

Let it be that, because of the story that You have written on the pages of my life, I will pass on a legacy that would cause the ones that follow me to set their hope anew on You—because they heard and believed and remembered and obeyed the Truth of Your Word.

Grant me the courage to leave a legacy of Truth to my children and to the next generation, as I boldly proclaim to them Your glorious deeds, Your unlimited power and Your mighty wonders—that they would set their hope anew on You, remembering Your glorious miracles and obeying all Your commands.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.