A Prayer for God to Direct Your Prayers
By Christine F. Perry
Bible Reading
"Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." - Luke 22:42 NKJV
Listen or Read Below:
If you have prayed for any length of time, it can feel like you're on a mental treadmill of mindless repetition. I was recently praying about something that I have been praying about for the last year. I was growing discouraged in my waiting. I felt like I was running out of time and doubting that God would show up for me in this situation. Suddenly, I remembered Jesus' prayer in the garden, "Your will be done." If I am being honest, that prayer sometimes frightens me because I don't always like God's will in the moment. Yet, he promises that everything he does is for our good and his glory. How can I argue with that?
It's a fact that our emotions don't always align with the truth of God's Word immediately. Our spirits may be willing, but our flesh is weak. I found myself repeating the prayer, 'Lord, your will be done.' It was the last thing I felt but the exact thing I needed. And, in his mercy, I woke up the next day, spent quality time with God in his Word, and felt a sense of peace, even though the situation remained unchanged.
Another thing I do, if I am praying for someone, is look up and pray some of the prayers recorded in the Bible — prayers like Philippians 1:9-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 3:14-21, and Colossians 1:9-14. Donald Whitney says in his book Praying the Bible, "Basically, what you do is take the words that originated in the heart and mind of God, and you circulate them through your heart and mind back to the Godhead. In this way, His words become the wings for your prayers."
Let's ask God now for his help to direct our prayers and bring people and situations to our minds to pray for and about.
Let's Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I admit that I do not always know what to pray for or I pray amiss and pray for selfish reasons (James 4:3). Lord, I am reminded of the challenge Lee Strobel gave his audience during one of his talks. He said, "If Jesus visited you and granted everything you prayed for last week, how many people would be on their way to heaven?" Lord, please help our requests to be your requests. I pray that you will put the people and situations in our minds to pray for. Help us to pray with compassion and confidence, knowing that not one of your plans can be thwarted. Father, please bring Scripture verses and passages to mind to help us know we are praying according to what you want. Father, please break our hearts for the things that break your heart. Help us to be moved with compassion and to pray fervently and persistently. Lord, we know you can do all things; remind us of that when we forget. Lord, help the prayers we pray to be an offering to you. Please direct our hearts, words, and prayers how you want them. Thank you for praying for us (John 17:20-26) and living to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). God, we are humbled and grateful. We love you. Thank you. Amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Anastasiia Stiahailo
Christine is just a lady who was given the gift of being raised in an incredible family. For reasons unknown to her, God has blessed her with an amazing life full of beautiful friendships, remarkable experiences, and a love from Him that is completely underserved. She desires to encourage others and share hope as we journey through the highs and lows of life. Christine is the author of How I Met Peace and For the Weary Life Traveler, a 31-day devotional. Check out more of Christine's work at her website: Learning to be fearless and her Patreon.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
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