Going Beyond Whatever Seems Right to Me

In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

—Judges 21:25 (NLT)

My LORD and My King,

Let me forever look to You as my LORD and King, so that the way I conduct my life will be according to Your Truth and not according to my own opinion.

Help me to submit my will to Your will, my plans to Your plans, my desires to Your desires, and my motives to Your motives, so that my heart beats only after Your own heart—and my actions only reflect the revelation of Your Truth to my spirit.

Keep me from the chaos that comes from deciding for myself what is right and what is wrong—based on my own limited and flawed intellect and perspective—and give me the faith to trust You for the best answers, knowing Your intellect is infinitely beyond my own and Your perfect perspective is limitless.

As I commit to obediently follow Your instructions—as revealed to my spirit by the Holy Spirit through Your Word—let my actions reflect Your standards for morality, mercy, forgiveness, grace, justice, truth, and above all, love.

Let me forever look to You as my LORD and King, so that the way I conduct my life will be according to Your Truth and not according to my own opinion.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

God Comforts Us So We Can Comfort Others

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

—2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)

Merciful and Comforting Father God,

Teach me to show others the same mercy and extend to them the same loving comfort that You pour out on me when I am weighed down with troubles. 

Help me be careful to give You all the praise—as the Father of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and the source of all comfort—for Your continuing faithfulness to bring good out of all my troubles.

Don’t let me forget that You allow hardships, so that I can experience Your faithfulness in my hardships—whether You choose to deliver me from them altogether, or walk with me through them to ultimate victory in Christ.

Remind me that, as I find comfort and help from You in my troubles, You are equipping me then to be able to offer that same comfort to others who are troubled—and to point them to the only true source of help and hope.

Teach me to show others the same mercy and extend to them the same loving comfort that You pour out on me when I am weighed down with troubles. 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Along the Path of Your Commands

Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
    I will put them into practice with all my heart.
Make me walk along the path of your commands,
    for that is where my happiness is found.

—Psalm 119:34-35 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

May I always seek to understand Your Word—so that I will be able to obey all of Your instructions.  Help me to put them into practice and experience the happiness that belongs to those who walk along the paths of Your commands.

With Your Spirit as my teacher, open up the richness of Your Word to my spirit and help me to understand everything that You want me to know—that I might fully accomplish those things that You have planned for me to do.

Lead me to that place of absolute obedience to You—as You bend my will along the path of Your commands—for my own good, in order to protect me, provide for me, and to keep me in Your perfect peace.

And help me find those places of great blessing, joy, and happiness—by following all of Your instructions and trusting in Your great love for me—so I can discover that the very best You have for me is found within my life in Christ.

May I always seek to understand Your Word—so that I will be able to obey all of Your instructions.  Help me to put them into practice and experience the happiness that belongs to those who walk along the paths of Your commands.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.