Have mercy on me, O Lord, because Your love is unfailing and Your mercy endures forever. In accordance with Your great compassion, wipe away my tears and blot out my sins. Create in me a new heart and renew my flagging spirit. Do not turn Your face from me … nor remove Your Holy Spirit. Restore within me the joy of belonging to You and give me the desire to obey Your every command. Many times, after I have sinned, I feel I do not deserve Your mercy. I feel I am no longer worthy of being called Your son. But I also know that You rejoice when I turn away from sin and You smile proudly when I return to Your righteous way of living. I am thankful that, like the Father of the Prodigal Son, You patiently wait for my return from my occasion of sin … and, in my sorrow and repentance wrap me in the robe of Your love and forgiveness. I know that all my good deeds can never make up for the mistakes I have made. I am grateful for the sacrifice that You made to cover my sins with Your blood and bring me into eternal fellowship with You.
I know that the beginning of a victorious life starts with accepting Your forgiveness and walking in Your ways. When I am not sure about what to do or which way to go, I must turn to the Holy Spirit and Your Word for guidance. I must never let my feelings of unworthiness cause me to lose hope and stop striving to do better. I know it is my heart that You examine when judging me and I believe that my heart is true to You alone. I yearn to walk in Your footsteps … along the path of righteousness that You’ve created for me. At times, I feel weak and unequipped to represent You before men. But I realize that when I am weak, You are made strong and it is Your strength that enables me to succeed. O Loving God, You mean so much to me and I need You in my life. Like the food I eat, Your presence sustains me and causes me to grow.
I believe that You love them who love You and those who seek You will find You. Therefore, I invite You to occupy the center of my life. When I am close to You, I am able to see things more clearly and better discern Your plan for my life. As I walk in accordance with Your will, I see obstacles being removed from my pathway. As I seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I am able to make better decisions. My desire is to be a force for good and to flee from evil. As I remain in You … accepting Your forgiveness … and, acting in accordance with Your will … I know that I will be in a better position to reflect Your goodness. Forgive me for squandering the gifts You’ve given me and help me walk uprightly before my fellow man. When I cry out to You in my times of need, I know You will hear and respond. I understand that my righteousness comes from You and that You have an endless supply to pour over me. This comforts me and gives me reason to rejoice. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Matthew 5:6 Blest are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.