WHO You are Becoming Matters FAR More Than You Think: A Prayer Guide for Aligning with What the Lord is Doing

Father God, Maker of Heaven and Earth,

We take a moment to worship You. To lean into the fact that You are God and we are clearly not. That You are faithful and loving and merciful. That You restore and redeem and transform. That You save and heal and lift up. That You enter into our joys and our sorrows. That You are sovereign…King of kings and Lord of lords. [PAUSE—insert your own worship words here…]

Your Word tells us: Satisfy us in the morning with Your faithful love so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days (Psalm 90:14). We pause as we ask You to help us be satisfied IN You first, and not our own impulses, wants, agendas; may Your love be the source of our joy and gladness… [PAUSE—rest in this thought for a moment.]

As we continue in a season of change and unpredictability (in so many arenas, both inside and outside our church families), Lord, help us recall Your unsurpassed power to rebuke the storm, to bring peace and serenity (Mark 4:39). [PAUSE—remember.]

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous (Psalm 112:4). For our church—for each person, for our leaders, for our staff—we pray that we would increasingly, in the power of Your Holy Spirit, become more gracious, more compassionate, more faithful. [PAUSE—let that sink in.]

Lord, we recall that “in the middle of the morning, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples with gifts of courage for birthing the church” (Acts 2:15). Lord, fill us. Make us people of courage. [PAUSE—make your requests for boldness to God.]

Lord, we ask that Your favor be upon us—collectively as your people…and that You would be the one to establish the work of our hands and our hearts (Psalm 90:17). [PAUSE—lift up your plans and your work to Him in this moment.]

Pray that we would learn how to live as salt and light in the places the Lord has us (Matthew 5:13-14). [PAUSE—call to mind the places and people with whom you are connected/have influence.]

As we continue to learn and grow and struggle to BE the Body of Christ that You intend, we pray that we would be people of joy, of hesed, of encouragement, of worship, of exhortation. Lord, make us clear on Your priorities in this season and the coming one.

Lord, make us wise and discerning. Open our eyes. Fill us with the hope to which You have called us (Eph. 1:18). Help us live into the mighty strength You exerted when You raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand.

We pray all these things in Your powerful Name…the Name above all Names.

Amen.

Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, Your Unique Design Class Guide, Your Unique Design Facilitator Guide, and Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and leaders in a diversity of fields for over 30 years. She has also been Catalyst for Equipping at her Boulder church since 1999.

Photo (c) Shirley Giles Davis, all rights reserved.