Seeking Spiritual Alignment: Prioritizing God's Love - Prayer Journal 253

Father, in Jesus' name, I am grateful for Your kindness, love, and patience with me. No one compares to You, and yet I find myself easily distracted by temporary, lesser things. You have loved me with an eternal love. Thank You for showering me with Your love, making me a child of God. Nothing can separate me from Your love. Your love fills my heart through the Holy Spirit. I love You because You loved me first and have enabled me to love.

May You hold the utmost importance, priority, and foremost place in this life, marriage, family, and ministry that You have entrusted to me. Forgive me for the times I crave physical food for my body more than the spiritual nourishment of Your Word for my soul. Forgive me for prioritizing my appetite and idolizing it over You, the one true and living God. This should never happen, but unfortunately, it often does. Help me to surrender to Your Spirit and put the deeds of this body to death. Lead me to the point where You are my greatest desire and only treasure.

My private thoughts are often negative. They can be filled with coveting, envy, jealousy, pride, lust, demeaning attitudes, judgment, condemnation, anger, self-criticism, selfishness, and self-centeredness. These aren't just passing thoughts that I control to align with Christ; instead, I find myself wanting to dwell on or revisit them. Please guide me to focus on the thoughts You desire for me.

I recognize that I am frequently oblivious to thoughts I hold and entertain that may be offensive to You and unworthy of Christ. Examine my heart and test me, scrutinize my thoughts and evaluate me to see if there is any wickedness within me, and guide me along the everlasting path. Assist me in becoming a person of integrity. Reveal to me the agreements I have made with the flesh, the world, and the devil that lead me to live as though I am bound, even though I am free in Christ.

I don't want to just hear and speak Your Words; I want to embody them so I can walk closely with You. Let my words and actions reflect the loving relationship I share with You. Help me understand that, in my human nature, I'm capable of doing wrong, corrupt, and evil things. It's only by staying connected to You, Lord Jesus, and having Your Word dwell within me that I can do anything that pleases You.

I am not my own; I belong to You. You are a jealous God and have every right to be. I am Yours by virtue of creation and redemption through the blood of Jesus. How could I disrespect that sacrifice by placing anyone or anything above You? I sincerely apologize, Lord. Let my heart be broken by what breaks Yours. May the sins that sadden Your Spirit also sadden me. Help me to love You with all that I am and all that I have, to cherish what You cherish, and to despise what You despise. In Jesus' name, Amen!