A Prayer about Getting Good at Grief

by | Jun 22, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Getting Good at Grief

I am shut in so I cannot escape; my eye grows dim through sorrow. Psalm 88:9

Compassionate Father,

We don’t pray Psalm 88 enough, 

and maybe that’s why we’re not very good at grief. 

Today, we use the words of this dark yet hopeful Psalm

 to cry out for ourselves or for friends 

walking through agonizing losses:

For those who feel: 

“You have caused my companions to shun me; 

you have made me a horror to them” (Psalm 88:8),

come close in their isolation, 

and send us as comfort in the flesh. 

May we never shrink back from horrific suffering, 

but may we enter into it with your grace and hope. 

For those who feel: “I am a man (or woman) who has no strength” (Psalm 88:4),

soothe them with the rest they desperately need, 

and provide the energy to do the things they must do. 

Send us to lift them up, 

whether in prayer or in service, 

Most of all, Father, 

help our friends to see that they’re not alone, 

that you have supplied them with a great cloud of witnesses 

to walk with them in this long and tortuous journey.

In Jesus’ faithful name. Amen.

Read Psalm 88:1-18.



A Prayer about the Power of God’s Grace

by | Jun 21, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Power of God’s Grace

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Gracious Father,

Forgive me (us) for underestimating the power of your grace. 

Your grace is not a Southern woman with “nice manners.” 

Your grace is not a little token of appreciation. 

Your grace is not a souvenir from Switzerland.

Your grace is the powerful and profound gift 

of hauling a sinful people out of the suffocating mudpit 

of our own making. 

Your grace came at the high cost 

of the life of your perfectly righteous Son. 

Your grace not only paid the unpayable debt of our sin 

but also imparted to us the righteousness of your Son. 

Your grace is not a little creek trickle of grace 

but a glacier waterfall of grace

pouring over us and through us, 

carving the blunt edges off our rocky hearts 

until they soften into the shape 

of our loving Savior’s heart. 

Your grace will never run out 

and will finish its perfect work in us 

until the day our Savior returns.

Oh, Lord, may we never underestimate 

the profound power of your grace again. 

In Jesus’ grace-pouring name. Amen.

Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; John 1:16-17; Titus 2:11-14. 



A Prayer about Practicing Forgiveness throughout Our Lives

by | Jun 20, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Practicing Forgiveness throughout Our Lives

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Forgiving Father, 

Secular studies have shown that people 

who know they are dying 

benefit from asking forgiveness 

and granting forgiveness 

at the end of life. 

As Christians, this data does not surprise us, 

for you command us to “forgive one another” 

as you have forgiven us in Christ (Ephesians 4:32).

While it’s tricky to know how to forgive 

someone who has abused or betrayed us, 

in Christ, you have given us 

all of the kindness and compassion we need to do so. 

We must remember that forgiveness is not 

minimizing the damage done 

or excusing the offense. 

It is naming, “You hurt me [in this way] 

and I forgive you, 

not in my own power, 

but in the power of the Holy Spirit 

working in me. 

Similarly, to ask forgiveness of another, 

we don’t excuse, or minimize, or blame-shift. 

We simply say, 

“I hurt you by [naming offense], 

and I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?” 

Forgiving Father, you have forgiven us 

our gossip and greediness, 

our lust for more and our lack of kindness, 

our self-absorption and our self-promotion, 

among the long list 

of other betrayals 

we have committed against you. 

Because you have forgiven us in Christ, 

help us to practice forgiving 

and asking forgiveness, 

not just at the end of our lives, 

but every day of our lives.

In Jesus’ restoring name we ask. Amen.

Read Read Ephesians 1:7, 4:32; Matthew 18:21-35; Matthew 5:43-45.



A Prayer about Receiving Jesus’ Cleansing

by | Jun 19, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Receiving Jesus’ Cleansing

“You will never (to eternity) wash my feet.” John 13:8

Jesus, our Faithful Servant,

If we’re honest, we feel the way Peter did: 

you are too good, 

and we are too unworthy for you 

to wash our feet. 

According to Greek scholars*, 

Peter’s response to the idea of Jesus washing his feet is, 

“You will never to eternity wash my feet.” 

In our language, we might say, 

“No way. You will never ever ever wash our feet.” 

Lord, help us in our false humility. 

Help us in our pride. 

Help us in our confusion — 

how can you, 

God incarnate, 

serve us in the lowliest way possible? 

We really need to get this through our skulls 

that are as thick as Peter’s. 

Peter would one day be the “rock” 

on which you would build your church (see Matthew 16:18). 

In this authoritative position, 

he would need your power to submit

to take the lowest places 

to serve others. 

The only way he, and we, 

become empowered to do this 

is to recognize that we are poor and needy, 

but you, the Lord our King, are thinking of us right now (See Psalm 40:17). 

Help us today, Lord. 

Help us to submit 

our minds, 

bodies, 

and spirit to you. 

Cleanse us from our sin, 

and make us ready to serve others 

as your disciples. 

In your humble name we pray.

Amen.

Read John 13:1-11.

*ESV Study Bible note. 



A Prayer about Spiritual Battles

by | Jun 18, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Spiritual Battles

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Ephesians 6:11

Mighty God,

As I’ve been dealing with some technology tangles

that have me fussing and fuming, 

I’ve realized this could be spiritual attack. 

I pray for myself and for all my fellow prayer warriors 

who are facing a battle with the “cosmic powers” 

and the “spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12).

Help us, Lord, 

to battle in your strength 

against these forces, 

because you have provided a full set of armor, 

and because we’re too weak and frail to fight it in our own strength.

Your belt of truth holds us secure; 

your breastplate of righteousness defends against false accusations; 

your gospel shoes give us the peace of your shalom; 

your shield of faith catches flaming lies; 

your helmet of salvation keeps us safe forevermore; 

your Spirit’s sword, your Holy Word, steadies us in true truth; 

and last but definitely not least, 

the prayers of the saints keep us upright. 

Lord, strengthen us 

so that we may continue to share the good news 

of our only hope:

Jesus’ conquering name. Amen. 

Read Ephesians 6:10-20.



A Prayer about Rejoicing in Suffering

by | Jun 17, 2025 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about Rejoicing in Suffering

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…Romans 5:3-4

Lord Jesus,

Yesterday we prayed about rejoicing 

“in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).

Today we need to face the fact that, 

for those who follow you, 

suffering is not only normal, 

but also a cause for rejoicing. 

That doesn’t really fit our American narrative, 

so help us by your Spirit to understand:

Suffering produces endurance: 

As we fix our eyes on you, 

the “founder and perfecter” of our faith 

who endured the cross for us (Hebrews 12:2), 

we are empowered by your Spirit to keep walking forward, 

one new mercy at a time.

Endurance produces character: 

Through suffering, you are making us “mature and complete” (James 1:4), 

people who are wise and compassionate, 

tender and strong comforters, 

people who don’t toss out spiritual Band-aids, 

people who listen carefully 

and give wise counsel at the right time.

Character produces hope: 

As you grow our endurance and character through suffering, 

we long even more for the future day 

when you will return and make all things new. 

This is the essence of hope, 

and it is a hope that will never disappoint (Romans 5:5).

In your name. Amen.

Read Romans 5:1-5.