Holy Father, in Jesus' name, thank You that You'll never give up on me. I go from faith to doubt sometimes in a matter of minutes. I find myself, at times, going long stretches where I am not intentional about bearing witness of the Lord Jesus Christ to others. God, I have people all around me who desperately need Your salvation and sadly most of the time my mind is on me and the circumstances of my life. Please do not allow me to stay in this place.
Father, please break my heart with what breaks Yours. Help me to hate wickedness and to love righteousness. I do not know why You continue to be so patient with me when I willfully disobey You day after day after day. Do I really believe You or am I just feigning faith? Jesus, You hold back absolutely nothing from me and yet I hold back almost everything from You. I give You what costs me little and I do it grudgingly. Break my heart over my sin and cause me to weep over it. How in heavens name can I, at times, be so bad to You when You are so good to me?
Jesus, You demonstrated the Father's love towards me in this that while I was yet a sinner You died for me. You have loved me with an everlasting love and there is absolutely nothing in all creation that shall separate me from Your love. You have shed Your love abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit. Would You stir me up by Your Spirit and cause the love of Christ to compel me to bear witness for You, Lord Jesus?
Jesus, there are stretches where I have gone AWOL on serving at the post You've assigned me in Your Kingdom. I find myself drifting on the current of the world and every time that I look up I am farther and farther away from Your shore. I am often giving in to the cravings of the sinful nature rather than yielding to Your Holy Spirit. Many times my hands have let go and I would have been utterly broken on the rocks below if it were not for this truth: Your hands are around me and You will never let go.
God, please forgive me for my sin and rebellion against You. Do whatever You must to bring me to the place of brokenness and surrender to You. I realize that I am utterly incapable of changing my heart and life. Yet there is nothing too hard or impossible for You. Produce a godly sorrow in my soul and lead me to true repentance. Please do not leave me in this place of apathy, complacency, indifference, and not caring.
Jesus, reignite the fire of God in my heart and soul again as You cause my life to burn for You and You only. Download Your heart and vision to me. May the latter glory of the life, marriage, family, work, and ministry that You've given me far exceed the days gone by. May Christ have the preeminence, priority, and first place only in all things. Stir up my affection for You that I truly love You with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength and help me to love my neighbor as I love myself.
God, You do not need me but You so want me. I need You in and for absolutely everything. There is nothing that I can do without You. I need You to love You for on my own I can not and will not. Lord Jesus, bring me to the place where I am daily coming after You, denying myself, taking up my cross, and following You wherever You lead me. You must increase and I must decrease as I ask You, Jesus, to live Your resurrected life to, in, and through me with great power and glory. Draw me so close to You where only You are experienced, heard, and seen and not me. Bring me to the place of deep, rich, intimate fellowship with You and send me out to co-labor with You in Your harvest. In Jesus' name, Amen!!!
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