Hear my cries and preserve my life, O God. Purify my heart and cleanse me from the stains of sin. Too many times I have traveled down crooked paths where evil and my flesh teamed up to overpower my resolve to do good. Rather than follow the sound of Your voice (leading me to the safety of high ground), I was seduced by the trappings of the world and self-pleasures. Rather than practicing restraint, it was easier to just let go and follow the path of least resistance. What a waste!! How can I ever begin the process of purifying my heart and starting over fresh?
I know that I have excluded myself from the joy and liberty given to the citizens of Your Kingdom because I have not sought Your help during times of temptation and I have chased after things of which You do not approve. I know that my prayers will become powerful again when I allow You to change my desires to be pure and they align with Your will for me. Rather than reaching out for the things that my flesh craves, I must submit myself to You and seek Your help in overcoming my selfish desires. For if I love the world and its ways, I cannot be Yours … and instead, I declared myself Your enemy. Friendship with the world causes me to seek the fulfillment fleshly pleasures rather than living for You and striving to meet the needs of others … and, I know You will not tolerate that.
Your have made it clear to me that You resist the proud and give grace to the humble. The antidote for evil is humility because it causes me to rely on You. Pride makes me self-centered and greedy. Humility releases me form the grip of pride and selfishness. I know that in order to win the battle, I must submit my life to Your direction and counsel. In so doing, I gain the strength and conviction needed to overcome evil with good. As I draw closer to You, You have promised to draw closer to me. Drawing closer involves yielding to Your authority … putting my life under Your control … fleeing from evil and rejecting sin … and, realizing that I am nothing without You. When I choose to obey, I act as a son. By separating myself from the world and its ways and flesh driven desires, I can begin the process of cleansing of my soul and purifying my heart. It is because of Your forgiveness and the ability to start over anew that I gain hope for the future and trust that through the working of Your power and grace the purification of my heart can begin. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.