Verses to Pray When You Need to be Forgiven

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You know you fall short of God's will. You know you need to be forgiven but you don't know what to pray beyond ... "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

As I worked on Monday’s post, Jesus’ Commandments and Why You Need to Know Them, I can honestly tell you I found myself squirming a little.

Let me explain…

I think it’s possible when you and I use the original Ten Commandments as our guide for right and wrong, to come to the conclusion that we’re doing an okay job at this thing called obedience. We can look at the list and think, I love God, I go to church, I don’t steal, I haven’t killed anyone, and I didn’t _______ or _________.

Taking a closer look at Jesus’ Commandments, you and I not only find a list of dos and don’ts but directives that challenge our hearts and attitudes. And when I take a closer look inside myself, I suddenly realize just how far I fall short of God’s will.

I need to be forgiven.

Because, in all honesty…

I don’t love like Jesus. I struggle to willingly take up my cross and faithfully follow Him. I worry. I want to have child-like trust, humility, and sincerity but sometimes “adulting” and bad habits get in the way. I catch myself judging others and have days of selfishness when I’m definitely not as kind, compassionate, or forgiving as I should be.

I’m a mess who definitely needs God’s forgiveness!

If you’re a mess and know you need to be forgiven too, please join me as I turn to God’s Word and prayer. As I ask Him to forgive me and change me to become more like Jesus.

Verses to Pray When You Need to be Forgiven

You know you fall short of God's will. You know you need to be forgiven but you don't know what to pray beyond ... "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Psalm 32:5

Then I confessed my sins to you
    and didn’t hide my guilt.
I said, “I will confess my sins to the Lord,”
    and You forgave my guilt. 

Father, I’m so sorry. I want to obey Your commands and trust Your will for me. I’m ashamed of my tendency to be selfish and stubborn. It’s so easy for me to do things I know Your Word says to avoid and it’s even easier for me to fail to do the things You want me to do. I have a list of excuses and reasons but truthfully, they’re meaningless.

I love You, Lord, and I want to obey You. By the power of Your Spirit, please give me the strength I need to turn from temptation, the child-like faith I need to trust and obey, and peace that comes from knowing I am forgiven. Amen.

Psalm 51:9–10 (NCV)

Turn Your face from my sins
    and wipe out all my guilt.
Create in me a pure heart, God,

and make my spirit right again.

Father, wash me clean. Fill me with Your love and purify my heart. Jesus said, “My God, why have You forsaken me?” You turned Your face away as Jesus suffered, allowing Him to suffer my punishment. And through His suffering, death, and resurrection You forgive my sins and remove my guilt.

It’s amazing! It’s really too marvelous to understand. Yet, by Your grace through faith, I will receive this precious gift and with Your help, I will do my best to live my life for Your glory. Amen.

Luke 7:47

“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—
have been forgiven,
so she has shown me much love.
But a person who is forgiven little
shows only little love.”

Father, my sins have been many, things I’ve done that I wish I hadn’t and so many things I failed to do, that I wish I had. Like Paul, I have to admit, “I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.” (Romans 7:19)  

Your Word tells me I am forgiven completely. I am covered by Your grace and mercy.

May the desire of my heart be to spend every day for the rest of my life showing You “much” love! Amen.

Verses to Pray When You Need to be Forgive by Deb Wolf @ Counting My BlessingsPsalm 103:11–12

For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him
    is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our sins as far from us
    as the east is from the west.

Father, Your love never fails and it never ends. It doesn’t depend on who I am but on whose I am. I am Yours and You are love. Perfect love.

You are love who forgives every sin to the extreme … as far as the east is from the west. Love who removes my fear. Love who makes it possible for me to love and forgive others. Love who is able to make me victorious in times of temptation. Love who is not content to leave me as I am but who works in my life to make me more like Jesus.

Thanks and praise, worship and honor are Yours forever. Amen.

Psalm 32:1

Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,

whose sin is put out of sight!

Father, You give me joy! Joy that makes me free and gives me strength. Joy I can feel in my mind and my heart. Joy that gives me peace and fills me with hope.

Joy because my past is forgiven; I don’t need to look back anymore. Joy because Your Spirit is with me blessing me with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22–23 

Although the consequences of my past may continue, Your grace and mercy change me and give me all I need to love like Jesus and live for Your glory. In Jesus name. Amen.

Praise God!

When you and I need to be forgiven … we can ask and receive!

For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:10

My dear friend, whatever is burdening you today … give it to God. He is true to His Word. When you ask Him for forgiveness, He forgives you. He doesn’t wait until you get it right. Your Father forgives you as soon as you ask because He loves you.

Turn to Him. Trust Him. And celebrate!!

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8 Comments

  1. I love how thorough Psalm 103 is in letting me know just how “in” we are with God!

  2. This truly spoke to my heart today, Deb. We all need forgiveness, each and every day. Thank goodness God loves us so much!
    Blessings!

  3. Hi Deb, Me too! “I’m a mess who definitely needs God’s forgiveness!” I’m so thankful He died in my place.

  4. Hi Deb, Praying scripture is such a powerful tool! The verses you chose to share are a reminder that His love and forgiveness is unfailing. Thank you for sharing!

  5. You are a mess who needs forgiveness? Whew. Me too. Love all of this. laurensparks.net

  6. We ALL have to agree with you here, Deb: “I need to be forgiven. Because, in all honesty…I don’t love like Jesus.” Regardless of how “good” we think we are, we all fail miserably in comparison, and thus we all need forgiveness often. Thankful that he gives it to us every time!

  7. Deb – Yes, I too need to be forgiven. On a daily basis, I come up short. We are so blessed we have such a forgiving God. Thank you for the reminder to seek forgiveness. It is so easy to overlook our own sin. Blessings, Maree