Introduction: Healing Prayer –
The next 7 days our prayer focus is on asking God to heal relationships in our lives. You may have deep hurts in some of your relationships that require more time and prayer. Perhaps you may need to talk to a trusted friend about some of your hurts as part of your healing. As you pray these prayers this week, be open to what the Lord is doing in your life through these prayers.
“Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”
Ephesians 4:31-32
Prayer:
Father, thank you for forgiving me of all my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross so that when I confess my sins, I am completely forgiven. Jesus, thank you for giving your life for me and taking the punishment that I deserved so that I could be forgiven and free. I don’t deserve this kind of grace, and I could never do enough to pay you back for such an incredible gift. I have a difficult time accepting the magnitude of your grace, and it shows when I try to earn your approval or acceptance. You know the times when I try to hide my heart from you – my sins and my struggles. I want to be a man/woman who understands and accepts your forgiveness with my whole heart. Show me where I am striving to earn your forgiveness and help me fully accept that I am forgiven – completely forgiven through you.
Lord, I confess that I don’t have the grace to forgive others apart from you. When people hurt me, I am bent towards bitterness, anger, wrath, shouting, slander, and malice. Pain opens the door to all sorts of painful and negative emotions. The enemy seeks the pain as a perfect opportunity to lie to me and tempt me in ways that lead to even deeper pain. Father, I need you to heal my heart of ways that I’ve been hurt by other people. I need your grace to forgive those who have hurt me. Your word says that I am to forgive as you have forgiven me in Christ (Ephesians 4:32). Thank you that you have given me the grace to forgive others because it is Christ in me who gives me the grace to forgive. I don’t forgive in my own strength but through Christ and His amazing grace. Father, I submit this week to you as I seek you in prayer. Direct my heart this week and lead me as I seek you. I invite you to do a work in my heart this week that leads to healing and freedom through your message of forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, amen.
40 Days of Prayer 