A reminder when we think we find it hard to pray

Romans 8:26–28 (ESV)

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Lord, 

Help me to come to you in my time of need, even if I cannot find any words to pray.
Help me trust that You will provide the grace I need.
Help me to remember that Your Holy Spirit will help in my weakness, and will translate even my groanings or silence into the right words.
Help me to trust that You already know my struggles and will help me.

In Jesus' Name 
Amen

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a prayer to help others this holiday season

Dearest Lord,

During this season of Christmas we ask you to open our eyes.

Help us to see those who are hurting, sad and lonely.

We pray for those around us who need your touch and ministry.

Extend your hand of compassion and provision through us to them.

Help us to be vessels of Your love and support.

Bless us as we offer helping hands and listening ears.

We thank you, Father, for the privilege of prayer and ministry.

To you belongs all praise and honor.

We love you Lord.

Amen.

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a prayer to show mercy

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a prayer for when life seems impossible

Dear Father,

I come before you with a heavy heart.

Life simply feels impossibly hard to bear.

I am exhausted and in need of respite and relief.

I have run out of ideas. I need your wisdom.

Fill me afresh with your Spirit.

Help me to know that nothing is impossible with you.

Remind me that your power is made perfect in my weakness.

Fill me with your peace in the midst of this storm.

Work patience in me and fill me with hope as I wait on you.

I place this situation into your hands and confess my trust in you.

To you belongs all honor and praise.

Amen.

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a prayer for when we feel alone

Dear Father,

I feel so alone in this world and long to feel connected to others.

Friends seem to be so busy and I am just afraid to reach out to them.

I feel so needy and, often without cause, fear their rejection.

Please help me to be at peace in my solitude and rejoice that you are here.

Teach me the ways of openness as I seek you each new day.

Bless me to treasure the people that you bring in my life.

Cause me to be an encourager and one who builds others up.

Help me to remember that you see me even when others don't.

Be with me through this trial and open my eyes as I walk with you.

Thank you for holding me up in this season I am going through.

To you belongs all blessings and honor.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

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a prayer to live a thankful life

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come before you with a heart full of gratitude.

Thank you for the gift of life, for your endless love and grace.

For the countless blessings you pour upon me daily.

Thank you for my family, my friends, and the many opportunities I experience. 

Help me to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness in all circumstances.

Open my eyes to see your hand in every detail of my life, even in challenges.

Teach me to appreciate the small things and to find joy in the simple moments. 

May my heart be filled with gratitude. 

Help my actions reflect the thankfulness I feel.

Guide me to be a blessing to others, just as you have blessed me.

I pray this in your name, Amen.

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a prayer to find rest for my soul

Lord,

I am weary, tired and worn out.

I come to you seeking rest for my body, mind, and soul.

Please quiet my anxieties and grant me peace in my life.

Calm my frantic thoughts and bring peace to my troubled soul.

Touch my life, restore my joy, my strength and my energy.

Help me to wake refreshed and ready to face each new day.

Arm me with your strength and bless me to find deep rest.

You are worthy. I will trust in you. 

Amen.

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a prayer for stretcher bearers

Dear Father,

Thank you for those who have been stretcher bearers in our lives.

These have been instruments of your compassion and care to us.

We are grateful for their presence in our midst.

Grant them the strength and stamina needed to minister your mercy.

Help them to carry the medical, emotional and physical burdens of others.

Fill us each with empathy and understanding.

That we may see and help with the needs of those around us.

Bless us all to be servants and provide care to those who need us.

Help us to all work together as a team, helping each other to help others.

May our actions reflect your love and may we be a source of comfort and hope.

In your name, we pray.

Amen.

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a prayer for endurance

Dear Father,

I am weary and worn out these days.

I ask for your strength to press on and to not give up.

When the path ahead seems hard and unclear give me the will to endure.

Help me to find the courage to keep moving forward.

Guide me, step by step, as I trust in your Spirit to lead me.

Fill me afresh, renew my spirit, and give me the power I need.

Bless me with resilience to face whatever challenges come my way.

In Jesus' name, Amen

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a prayer to have unmixed motives

God of the Pure Heart,

Help us have motives that stand the test of time.

Help us to have good intentions in all we do.

Help us to live and act from our spiritual selves.

Help us to have wisdom as we align our hearts with yours.

Help us to reflect your motives as we journey forward.

Help us to act in ways that bring glory to your name.

Amen.

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a prayer for those who are discouraged

Lord of Life and Compassion,

I lift up those who are facing difficult times.

I bring to you those who are weary, discouraged, or overwhelmed.

Give them the strength to persevere, the resilience to bounce back.

Bless them to have the courage to face their fears.

Fill their hearts with hope, even when things seem darkest.

May they find peace in your presence and trust in their hearts.

Guide their steps, Holy Spirit, and help them to make wise decisions.

May they find a renewed sense of purpose and meaning in their lives.

Give them grace that they may know that you are with them.

In your name, we say amen.

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help me to serve

Lord Jesus Christ,

Teach me to be generous with my time and my resources.

Teach me to give and not to count the cost to me personally.

Help me to respond with compassion to those around me.

Help me to help family, friends and strangers when and where I can.

Cause me to pause and reflect on how I can serve others.

Cause grace and mercy to rise up in me when I see those in need.

To you I give all worship and praise.

Amen.

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How does the Spirit help us pray?

Question 182

How doth the Spirit help us to pray?

We not knowing what to pray for as we ought, the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, by enabling us to understand both for whom, and what, and how prayer is to be made; and by working and quickening in our hearts (although not in all persons, nor at all times, in the same measure) those apprehensions, affections, and graces which are requisite for the right performance of that duty. (Rom. 8:26–27, Ps. 10:17, Zech. 12:10)

Source: The Westminister Larger Cathecism  

Romans 8:26–27 (ESV)

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

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God, I don't know how to pray or what to pray. I feel helpless and overwhelmed. But I thank you, Holy Spirit that you know what I am experiencing and are interceding on my behalf. Thank you!

Amen

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a prayer to have joy in troubling times

Dear Lord,

I sometimes allow things like bad weather to steal my joy.

Teach me to see with my heart and not my head.

I am prone to think negatively and imagine worst case scenarios.

Help me to discover other ways to think and process life's events.

I know that I sometimes need to be joyful even when I am not happy.

Remind me that joy comes as a product of following your Spirit.

To you I surrender my life. Please lead me in your ways.

Amen.

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a prayer to make a difference

Blessed Lord,

I confess that I too often overlook the people who need Your love and healing. Consumed with myself and my schedule, I don’t make time to listen for Your leading and to watch for opportunities to give Jesus to those around me.

Forgive me, Father.

In a world of lonely, frightened people, give me a heart that is broken for the things that break Yours. Give me compassion for a lost and dying world, for people You love. Give me an unquenchable love for Your gospel, for Your Son, for Your Word, for You. Use me to make an eternal difference in the lives of people all around me.

Amen

... from a prayer by Anne Graham Lotz    

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A prayer when made redundant

Lord, I can’t believe this has happened.

We kind of knew the company

was in financial difficulties but never

thought it would come to this.

Lord, please help us. We’re going to need wisdom,

your practical guidance on what to do …

how to make ends meet, how to manage,

to see if we need to move to find another job,

all sorts of things.

May we not be too proud to ask others to help.

Please may we know your peace and

your presence at this difficult time.

Amen.

Source: Manser, Martin. 2018. A Book of Prayers. First edition. Vereeniging: Christian Art Publishers.

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help us to seek you

Dear God,

You are more than we can ever comprehend.

Help us to seek you in our day to day lives.

Teach us and guide us as we pursue your ways.

Deliver us from our egos and our selfishness.

Bless us that we might surrender our wills to yours.

Cause us to be a people who are known for love.

We sing glory to your name for you are worthy.

Amen.

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A prayer when having a mid-life crisis

A prayer when having a mid-life crisis

Lord, I feel such a sense of failure. As I look back over the years, I wonder where they have all gone, as time has slipped by so quickly.

Nothing seems to mean much any more. I have no sense of achievement. I have lost all sense of adventure in life. The children have flown the nest. I feel I’m just existing, going through the motions of life, not really living any more.

I see how we tried to bring up our children. I know I can get too easily caught up in what went wrong.

Help me not to focus so much on the past, what I have lost, but to remember you are Lord of all, of my life, of the future, of everything.

Lord, I don’t know really where I’m going! Please help me to refocus on my destination then I’ll know where my life is going.

Help me to feel the touch of your love, find new direction, a more focused hope for my journey, a fresh sense of adventure, I pray.

Amen.

Source: Martin Manser, Martin. 2018. A Book of Prayers. 

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Psalm 33:20–22 (ESV)

20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. 22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

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a prayer to rest in love

God of Goodness,

I come into your presence so aware of my human frailty and yet overwhelmed by your love for me.

I thank you that there is no human experience that I might walk through where your love cannot reach me.

If I climb the highest mountain you are there and yet if I find myself in the darkest valley of my life, you are there.

Teach me today to love you more.

Help me to rest in that love that asks nothing more than the simple trusting heart of a child.

Amen

- Author Unknown    

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a prayer in times of darkness

Dear God,

Things seem dark and I feel all alone.

I am lonely and afraid.

Help me to know that you are here with me.

Open my heart that I might sense your presence.

Return me to the simple path of love and joy.

Teach me to be happy in small things.

And to not worry about things outside of my control.

Lead my friends in helpful ways.

Bless me that I may be a blessing.

Cause me to be a testimony of your love.

I love you Lord.

Amen.

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