7 Prayers That Work

Have you noticed that you struggle with the same bad habits, over and over? Maybe it's your temper, your insecurity, your selfishness, or your critical tongue . Deep down, you know they're not even habits. They're sins. This happens to me. I make this happen, by my own choices. Every time I try to pray, I feel this weight. At first, I can't tell why I feel this way or why my prayers seems to bounce right back. Then I realize I'm sinning again. I'm doing the same things I always do when my soul isn't full of righteousness. Of course, I want to confess it and stop doing it. But I feel ashamed that I'm about to pray the same prayer again, confess the same sin, and enter the same battle. I have a decision to make: I can humble myself and confess my sin, and start working to change, or I can give up. I can say "This is me. This is just the way I am." I can pretend that change isn't possible, even though I know it ...

Dear Lord, What is your plan here? You want me to learn humility, patience, endurance? I get it. I do. I just feel lousy. My head's exploding, my sinuses are swollen, my nose is red and crispy. I'm a real beauty queen. I walk around with my mouth hanging open so I can breathe, and I haven't slept soundly in days (for fear of suffocation). And--I'm working here. At least I'm trying. I'm hobnobbing with professional writers, asking for critiques, making contacts, self-advocating, trying to be the best version of me--either the fun me or the professional me--I'd take either one today. Instead, I'm allergy me. Stuffy, aching, swollen, tired, throbbing me. I'm a Ny-Quil commercial. And I'm not happy about it. (After all, isn't my life about  me ?) Oh, I get it. No, this is not about me, even though it feels like it should be. It's about YOU. It's always about You, whether I realize it or not. You're just reminding me, ...

He has given us a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. --from Psalm 40:3 Give us miraculous vision and fill us with courage to implement it. Make us radiant with your love yet make us transparent in our weaknesses. Enlarge our territory in this world yet keep us humble about our own contribution. Give us an eternal and earthly legacy that leads only back to You. Amen. image from  zackhunt.net