Prayer of the Day for Mar 23rd, 2024
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Dear Lord,
We come before You, longing to understand the true meaning of love. The world carelessly uses this word, often using it to describe fleeting emotions, selfish desires, or conditional affection. But we sense there's a deeper kind of love, the kind of love that emanates from You.
Show us how to love wholeheartedly. It's easy to feel patient and kind toward those who are easy to love. The true test of our love comes when faced with difficult people, frustrating circumstances, or those who have deeply hurt us.
Please help us to develop patience that isn't merely about tolerating others but about seeing their potential, believing in their goodness, and giving them room to learn and grow. May we extend that same patience to ourselves, recognizing that we, too, are on a journey of becoming more like You.
Teach us true kindness. May it be more than superficial politeness, but a deep desire to make others feel valued, cared for, and understood. Let our kindness be evident in the way we speak, the way we listen, and the way we choose to see the best in others.
Root out any seeds of jealousy or envy within us. Help us to genuinely celebrate the successes and blessings of others without a hint of bitterness or comparison. Protect us from the trap of pride that causes us to look down on others, and constantly seek our own recognition.
You call us to honor others, even when we disagree. Help us see the image of God in every person we encounter, regardless of their background, beliefs, or behavior. May our words and actions never be used to demean or intentionally cause pain.
Forgive our selfishness, Lord. It's so natural for us to put our own needs, desires, and preferences first. Transform our hearts to become more others-focused, seeking the good of those around us just as we would seek our own.
Calm our tendency to be easily angered, quick to judge, and slow to forgive. May we be conduits of Your grace, responding with gentleness instead of harshness and extending reconciliation wherever possible. Please help us to let go of any records of wrongs, releasing bitterness that poisons our own souls.
Instead of delighting in wrongdoings or being drawn into negativity, help us stand on the truth's side. May we actively seek what is right, just, and honorable. Let integrity be our hallmark.
We long for the kind of love that protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. Show us how to protect those who are vulnerable and advocate for justice fiercely. Give us the strength to trust even when we've been let down, to hope even in bleak circumstances, and to persevere even when the path is long.
This kind of love feels impossible in our own strength, and it is. We need You, Lord, to fill us with Your Spirit and infuse Your kind of love into our very being. May we be known as people who reflect Your radically selfless love to a world in desperate need of it?
Amen.
