7 Verses that will Help You Pray with a Grateful Heart

Meister Eckhardt, a German theologian from the 13th Century once said,

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”

If you’re like me, your thank you prayers are less frequent than your “please fix, heal, help, and provide, etc.” prayers.

It’s so easy to set aside all God has done in the past when I’m facing the needs in front of me.

But thank God, His future love, grace, mercy, and care do not depend on my gratitude for His past love, grace, mercy, and care.

Today…

I want to take Meister Eckhardt’s words to heart and simply say, “thank you” with a grateful heart!

And I thought you might want to do some grateful heart praying with me.

7 Verses that will Help You Pray with a Grateful Heart

1 Corinthians 15:56–57

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Father, thank you for Jesus! Thank you for the victory I have in Him. His death and resurrection defeated sin, death, and Satan. They have no power of me. They have NO power over me. I am forgiven. I am Yours. I have a hope and a future. I have life full and abundant. I have so many reasons to live today with a grateful heart! Thank you!

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Father, thank you for the gift of Your Spirit who guides me to know Your will and gives me the courage and strength I need to be thankful in all circumstances. Honestly, it seems impossible to be thankful in the middle of the struggle but Your Word says that with You, everything is possible … even a grateful heart in trying times. And even when it’s impossible to be thankful for the circumstances Your Spirit gives me all I need to be thankful for the courage and strength that will see me through. Thank you!

Psalm 95:1–3

Come, let us sing to the Lord!
    Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come to Him with thanksgiving.
    Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
For the Lord is a great God,
    a great King above all gods.

Father God, You are King of kings and Lord of lords. You are my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Advocate. You hear my prayers and praises. Please Lord, by the power of Your Spirit, help me keep my focus on You … on your grace and mercy. You are love. You are all I need! Thank you, Father.

James 1:17

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

Father, as You created this world, You declared it good! You made people in Your image and declared them very good and even when we made a mess of Your world and our lives, You stayed the same. You loved us and sent Jesus as the best gift of all.

Thank you for Your unchanging promises that give me hope and for Your Spirit who gives me all I need to live with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Thank you for Your unchanging grace, mercy, and constant love.

Colossians 4:2

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

Father, by Your grace, prompt me to pray with thanksgiving. May I be devoted to spending time with You in prayer. The desire of my heart is to be faithfully mindful of Your perfect presence and remember that in all circumstances I can turn to You with the praises and the pleas of a surrendered heart.

Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust Him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Father, I trust You! What an amazing blessing! I believe Your grace is sufficient in all circumstances. Because of the ways You have worked in my life … I know You will give me courage and strength when I need it! What joy to realize that You are always with me giving me everything I need to live one day at a time. Thank you!

Romans 11:36

For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen.

Father, You are King of kings and Lord of lords. Everything I have comes from Your hand. The world and all that is in it exist by Your power and all creation of proclaims Your glory. May I join in the song of praise that will last eternally, for You alone are worthy and from a grateful heart, I give You my thanks!

As I’ve written these prayers, I’ve realized that I want to make thanking and praising God for who He is a regular part of my prayer life. Although, I may remember to thank Him for what He does … who He is, changes every part of my life.

God is Creator. – Genesis 1:1, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Revelation 4:11.
God is Redeemer – Job 19:25, Psalm 19:14, Psalm, 103:4, Luke 1:68
God is Advocate/Helper – John 14:26, John 15:26, 1 John 2:1

He is Provider:

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Just because He loves.

And that’s reason enough to pray without ceasing with a grateful heart!

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!

How to Improve Your Legacy

by Alyson
@ Write Them on My Heart

Are You a Chocolate Soldier?

by Jen Avellaneda
@ Rich Faith Rising

My Story of Depression and Hope

by April Knapp
@ Experiencing Extraordinary Truth
in the Grind of the Ordinary

AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

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I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

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Thank you so much for partying with us!
May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship!

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!

5 Verses to Pray that will Help You Be Still and Listen

12 / 15 / 177 / 8 / 18

I’ve had a few times in my life when I’ve felt God’s voice loud and clear.

Like the time He challenged my grumbling or the time He gave me a word of love for a specific person as I was driving to a speaking engagement.

There was also the time that completely changed my view of things — all I could think about was the pain and loss when His tender Spirit whispered, “You have no idea what I’ve spared you from!”

But oh, how I would love to listen better. Kira’s post, from the other day, made me think about my need to do a better job of listening. Especially at this busiest times of the year, when I can so easily get caught up in all the doing that I fail to focus on the reason for all the doing.

So today, I’d like you to join me to stop for just a moment and listen. To pray with me and wait quietly for His voice to fill us with all we need these last days of 2017.

5 Verses to Pray that will Help You Be Still and Listen

Psalm 62:5–6

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in Him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.

Father, it’s so hard to wait and even harder to wait quietly. I want to complain. I want what I want and I want it now! Forgive me. I’m behind with all the things I need to do but right now at this moment what I need more than anything is time with You. I need Your promises of hope. I need to remember who You are and all You’ve done. You are my Savior, my place of safety, my unshakable foundation. Thank you! Please guide me this day and where You lead with Your Spirit’s help, I will follow. Amen.

John 10:27

My sheep listen to my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.

Lord, forgive me for the ways I let other voices distract me. The truth is … my own voice distracts me. My thoughts run in circles making deepening ruts as they tread the same ground again and again. Here I am, Lord. I need Your voice to help me quiet the craziness. I need Your truth and wisdom. Thank you for the many ways You assure me that I am Yours. You know me … nothing can change that. My heart’s desire is to obediently follow wherever You lead. Speak to me, Lord. I will listen and follow. Amen.

Psalm 37:7a, 23–24

Be still in the presence of the Lord,
    and wait patiently for Him to act.
The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
    He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
    for the Lord holds them by the hand.

Father, here I am — quiet and still in Your presence. Watching and waiting for Your direction. I love this promise … You “delight in every detail of my life.” You know everything about me. You know my weaknesses and You are aware of every stumble. Yet, by Your grace, You will not let me fall. Your hand is always there to help me and hold me. You faithfully forgive my foolish and distracted busyness and consistently call me back into Your holy presence where Your love surrounds me. Oh, how I thank and praise You! Amen.

John 14:26

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

Oh, Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Spirit, thank you! Father, I am awed by the love You showed us in Your plan to redeem us. Jesus, I am overwhelmed that You would willingly sacrifice everything for me. Spirit, I am so thankful for the ways You draw these truths to my mind each day. My God how I love you and thank you for Your blessings. Amen.

Psalm 25:4–5

Show me the right path, O Lord;
    point out the road for me to follow.
Lead me by Your truth and teach me,
    for You are the God who saves me.
    All day long I put my hope in You.

Father, I may not finish my to-do list today but by Your grace, may I accomplish Your list. May I follow Your path and fulfill each task You assign. By the power of Your Spirit, teach me. Lead me. Help me listen as You lovingly call me back into Your sweet presence … where we can sit and talk or maybe for a few moments, just be still in each other’s presence. I love You, my hope, my Redeemer, my all. In Jesus name, Amen.

Praying you find peace in the busyness as you stop for a moment to just be still and listen.

Now it’s time for…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

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I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

[Tweet “I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun! “]

Deb Wolf
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I’m excited to share the following posts with you this week.

Does This Story Ever End?

by Lisa Burgess

@ Lisa notes…

Called to Wait

by Laura Rath

@ Journey in Faith

Advents Task – Preparing Room in Our Hearts for Jesus

by Susan J.

@ This Day God’s Way

HOW TO RECOVER FROM THE WORST. GIFT. EVER.
(AND LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER)

by Sheila Qualls

@ Choose Confidence, Choose Healing, Choose Freedom

Thank you, Lisa, Laura, Susan, and Sheila for partying with us!

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May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship!

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and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

I’m always looking for stories that will encourage and inspire readers to live in faith, stay faithful in hope, and find joy in loving Jesus and others. If you’re interested in sharing your story here at Counting My Blessings –check out my Contributor Guidelines page.

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5 Helpful Verses to Pray for Your Broken Relationship

10 / 20 / 1710 / 23 / 17

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people were easier?

If every parent, child, sibling, spouse, neighbor, and friend could get along blissfully?

But we don’t. Relationships are messy!

And unfortunately, some end in brokenness.

Everyone I know has had at least one relationship end unpleasantly and many that had ended painfully leaving heart scars behind.

Because…

The closer the relationship the deeper the wound when it ends.

I’m guessing you have someone who came to mind … some strained or broken relationship that causes you sadness or heartache.

So, today I’m going to the Lord to pray for my broken relationships and I’d like to invite you to join me and pray for yours as well.

5 Helpful Verses to Pray for Your Broken Relationships

Romans 15:5–6

May the patience and encouragement that come from God allow you to live in harmony with each other the way Christ Jesus wants. Then you will all be joined together, and you will give glory to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NCV)

Father, Your Word tells me you want us to “live in harmony” with each other. What a good word. We don’t have to “sing in unison” we just need to blend well — not always agreeing but listening to understand and work together. Help me! I can be so stubborn. Please forgive me. I often think of how much better life could be if everyone just agreed with me. But You made us each unique and wonderful. Help me listen. Help me love like Jesus. Please work in my heart and the hearts of those who have grown distant and heal what is broken for our good and Your glory. Amen.

James 3:2

We all make many mistakes. If people never said anything wrong, they would be perfect and able to control their entire selves, too. (NCV)

Father, Your word says, “everyone sins.” It also says, our tongues “are wild and evil and full of deadly poison.” It shouldn’t surprise us when we hurt each other with words and actions. Please forgive me for the thoughtless and unkind word I’ve said or thing I’ve done. And help me forgive _________ for the things he/she did that hurt me. We need You. Amen.

Ephesians 4:32

Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ. (NCV)

Father, forgiveness is hard, especially when I’m hurt and angry. I want to be kind and loving consistently but oh my, I fail. And when I come to You sorry for the things I’ve said and done, I trust Your faithful love and amazing grace to forgive me. I need Your help to forgive _________. Please fill me with Your Spirit. Remind me of the countless times You have forgiven me and tender my heart to be more forgiving.

Father, I also ask that you would help _________ forgive me. Give me the courage I need to humble myself and repent of any pain I’ve caused. Restore what is broken by Your grace. Amen.

Psalm 27:14

Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help. (NCV)

Father, this is hard. I don’t wait well. I want to do or say something that will magically fix this. Help me remember that You may be using this time to work on me and to work on ___________. I don’t want to get in the way of what you’re doing but I get so impatient. It sometimes takes more courage and strength to wait than it does to act. So, I will come to You today and every day asking for Your guidance. Help me wait when that is Your will and then, help me know when and how to act when the time is right. I need Your help. Amen.

Colossians 3:12

God has chosen you and made you His holy people. He loves you. So you should always clothe yourselves with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (NCV)

Father, I need a wardrobe adjustment. When I think about how often I fail to wear mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience … I’m ashamed! And You love me even with my tattered attire. With Your help, I believe _________ and I can do a better job of loving each other. So, today I’m asking You to show me where I need to do better and love well. Heal our hearts, Father. Help us forgive. Help us to love like Jesus and by Your grace, heal our relationship. In Jesus name, Amen.

I would love to pray for your broken relationships. Please leave a prayer request in the comments or if you don’t want to leave your name you can go to our Blessing Counters Pray Page and leave one there.

God bless you, my friends, and encourage you with His grace, mercy, and love.

Now it’s time to share your links and visit your friends…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

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I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

[Tweet “I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun! “]

Deb Wolf
Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

I’m excited to share the following posts with you this week.

He’s Waiting for You…

by Martha J. Orlando

@ Meditations of My Heart

How God Worked on Me While Fasting

by Kelly R. Baker

@ Helping You Seek God Daily and Thrive

Sharing Hope

by Carlie Lake

@ From Dust Towards the Heavens

7 Admirable Qualities Every Christian
Must Choose to Embody

by Diana

@ Diana’s Diaries

Thank you, Martha, Kelly, Carlie, and Diana for partying with us!

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.

I would really appreciate it if you would
Grab my Link Party Button above or link back to CMB.

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May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship!

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Pary Board! It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!

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5 Verses to Pray When You Are Angry

9 / 29 / 179 / 29 / 17

For the last few weeks, I’ve felt the Lord nudging me to write a verses and prayers post about anger. I kept trying to push the thought aside.

It’s just so much more fun to write about hope and give you a feel-good pep talk. But it seemed each time I prayed about what I should write … God whispered the word anger to my heart.

It makes sense.

Everyone wants to believe their anger is “righteous.” We love to use verses that say Jesus was angry to justify emotional outbursts.

And that’s true but…

Mark 3:5 begins –

Jesus was angry as He looked around at them,

and it continues with –

but at the same time, He felt sorry for them because they were so stubborn and wrong.

Anger is an emotion. There will be times when you and I get angry. It’s a given!

But…

God’s Word has a lot to say about how you and I speak and act when that emotion begins to boil over.

It’s okay to be angry. It’s not okay to be cruel when we’re angry.

So, I’m going to God in prayer…

5 Verses to Pray When You Are Angry

1 Thessalonians 5:9

For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. (NLT)

Father, Your Word tells us evil, injustice … sin makes You angry. Yet, it also tells us of Your love, grace, and mercy. Thank you for Jesus and for Your undeserved forgiveness. Amen.

Psalm 4:4

Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. (NLT)

Father, You understand anger. I believe You want me to be angry about evil, injustice, and sin but you don’t want me to sin when I’m angry. Like You, may I let love be the force that guides me. Please forgive me for the times I’ve hurt someone through angry words or actions. By the power of Your Spirit, grant me the gift of patience that I might come to You in prayer when I’m angry asking for Your guidance that I might know how to address the issue without adding to the problem. Help me, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

Proverbs 15:1

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.

Father, give me a gentle answer that comes from a tender heart when my temper rises and my mind fills with the unkind words I’d like to speak. Please help me remember to put the relationships ahead of being right. Help me respond gently and forgive quickly. Help me love like You. Amen.

Ephesians 4:26

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

Father, it’s sometimes hard to remember that I don’t have to allow my emotions to control me. Feelings are a gift from You and so many of them help us enjoy the experiences of life. Things like love, happiness, and enthusiasm. But then there is also fear, hate, and grief. Those feelings introduced when sin entered the world. Satan still tempts us with doubt. Please forgive my failures and help me defeat the enemy by overcoming anger with love. On my own, I can’t … but with You, I can do anything even let go of anger.

James 1:19–21

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

Father, I’m sorry. Make me quick to listen and slow to speak … I fail so often. Slow me down when anger rises. Please help me. Fill my heart and mind with Your truth. Please defeat the enemy’s efforts to distort Your Word and divide Your children. Teach us, Lord, by the power of Your Spirit. Keep me focused on You, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. You are my hope and my salvation. I surrender this day to You. With your help, I believe I can handle anger ways that honor You. In Jesus name. Amen.

Oh friends, it’s hard, isn’t it?!

I don’t want to stop to think or slow down to pray when I’m angry. I want to vent and let everyone know exactly how they’ve upset and offended me.

But then I read…

Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool. Ecclesiastes 7:9

Ouch!

I’m ready to give up the “fool” label. You too?!

With God’s help, we can do this.

What do you do to avoid foolish temper flares?

Now it’s time to share your links and visit your friends…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

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I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

[Tweet “I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun! “]

Deb Wolf
Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

I’m excited to share the following posts with you this week.

4 Ways Listening Draws My Mate to Me

by Beth Steffaniak

@ Messy Marriage

Was it Necessary for Christ to Die

by Dawn Klinge

@ Above the Waves

8 Ways to Silence Your Someday Thieves

by Crystal Twaddell

@ Cultivating a Life of Intention and a Legacy of Hope

Discovering Depression Behind the Facade

by Emily Wood

@ Splashes of Joy

Thank you, Beth, Dawn, Crystal, and Emily for partying with us!

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.

I would really appreciate it if you would
Grab my Link Party Button above or link back to CMB.

Loading InLinkz ...

May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship!

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

5 Verses to Pray When You Are Overwhelmed

9 / 1 / 173 / 1 / 20

When you are overwhelmed - PRAY! Verses and prayers that will help you surrender your overwhelmed feelings and trust in God. #MentalHealth #Hope #FeelingOverwhelmed #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

“Sometimes when we get overwhelmed we forget how big God is.”
~ AW Tozer

It’s true, isn’t it?

When hurricanes hit literally or figuratively it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

One of the things I tend to forget when my life feels out of (my) control and I’m tangled in a web of confusion and frustration is that God is bigger than my overwhelming storm.

So often, I end up wondering why I let anxiety spin out of control when the peace of God’s presence is only a prayer away . . . knowing that He is able to calm my anxious heart and give me hope.

I’m holding these verses and prayers close for the next time I’m feeling overwhelmed…

5 Verses to Pray When You Are Overwhelmed

1 Peter 5:7

Cast all your anxiety on Him
because He cares for you. (NIV)

Father, You are Lord of all creation. Everything is under Your command and control. And yet, Your Word says You see me. You know the number of hairs on my head. You’re are able to handle the greatest problem and care about the smallest detail. Thank you! I am overwhelmed about _________. I want to surrender my worry and trust that You walk before me to guide me, beside me to strengthen me, and behind me to guard me. Help me, Father. In Jesus name, Amen.

Psalm 55:22

Give your burdens to the Lord,
and He will take care of you.
He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. (NLT)

Father, It’s hard to breathe. Busyness and anxiety deplete me. I’m exhausted. And I’m sorry because I know that’s not Your plan for me. So, here I am laying my burdens at Your feet. Show me Your will and make me a better steward my time, my money, and my relationships. I need You, Father. There are so many commitments vying for my time and attention. Help me make wise choices. I can’t do it all but I can with Your help, accomplish Your plans and purposes for me. Amen.

Psalm 142:1–3a

I cry out to the Lord;
I plead for the Lord’s mercy.
I pour out my complaints before Him
and tell Him all my troubles.
When I am overwhelmed,
You alone know the way I should turn. (NLT)

Oh, Father, sometimes I’m overwhelmed by life that just happens to me but too often I’m overwhelmed by circumstances of my own making. Forgive me. I want to make wise choices. So, I come to You for mercy . . . humbled that I can come to You even when I’m overwhelmed by my own choices. I turn to You, asking You into every detail of my life trusting You will guide me by the power of Your Spirit. Amen.

Isaiah 40:28–29

Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of His understanding.
He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless. (NLT)

Father, When I am tired; You are not. When I am overwhelmed; You are not. When I don’t know what to do; You know and guide me. When I am weak; You are strong. Thank you, Father. This truth is too great to fully understand; yet, is gives peace to my overwhelmed mind and heart. I can rest in Your promises and love. Amen.

Romans 8:37–38

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. (NLT)

Father, One thing is important . . . when I am overwhelmed, Jesus is the Rock on which I stand. Nothing can change that. Whatever happens in this life . . . Your love wins and lasts forever and always. Nothing can ever take it away. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

Father, You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
(Oceans by Hillsong United)

Lay your overwhelm down and trust the One who loves You and able to help You through and give you His peace. You are His and He is more than able.

What verse do you hold close when you’re overwhelmed?

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5 Verses to Pray that will Bless Your Relationships

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How many relationships have been destroyed over foolish, hurtful, words spoken because someone was judgmental or jealous?

I’ve been on both sides of hurtful words in my life. I’m guessing you have been too.

Too many thoughtless things I’ve said that I wish I could retrieve and words said by others come to mind even though I’ve forgiven and released them countless times.

Jesus’ brother James understood the problem…

People can tame every kind of wild animal, bird, reptile, and fish, and they have tamed them, but no one can tame the tongue. It is wild and evil and full of deadly poison. We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people, whom God made like Himself. Praises and curses come from the same mouth! My brothers and sisters, this should not happen. James 3:7–10

We know it shouldn’t happen and yet, most of us fail more often than we’d like to admit.

So, would you join me as I pray . . . asking God to give me His strength and help.

5 Verses to Pray that will Bless Your Relationships

Ephesians 4:29

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Oh, Father, forgive me. When I think about the words I’ve spoken way too many are neither good nor are they helpful. I want to build up and encourage others consistently but it seems like it’s just too easy for me to end up selfish and self-absorbed failing to think before I speak. I need You to tender my heart that I might love and encourage others in ways that show them Your love. In Jesus name. Amen.

Proverbs 3:5–6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

Father, I can be so quick to respond with a rant and I know that is definitely not Your will for me. Slow me down, Lord. Help me pause and breathe before I give an answer. Make me willing to listen and slow to speak. (James 1:19) I believe You will give me the words You want me to speak if I will only remember to seek Your will and follow Your ways. And Lord, I know Your ways are best and will bless and strengthen my relationships. Thank you for giving me a better way. By Your grace help me trust You completely and faithfully obey. Amen.

Galatians 6:4–5

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

Father, how my attitude influences my words and a bad attitude is inevitable whenever I compare myself to someone else. It’s so easy to feel envious or judgmental and neither is good for me or for my relationships. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me for wasting precious energy trying to impress people and failing to simply do my best with the gifts and abilities You’ve given me. Satisfy me with the truth of Your love and help me live for Your glory. Amen.

Matthew 7:1–3

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?”

Lord, social media has made it even harder to control my quick to judgment attitudes. Words and opinions scroll down the page and I can conclude, criticize, and condemn without knowing the person or their circumstances. Please forgive me, Lord, I have plenty of my own junk to take care of. And honestly, I hate it when someone judges me. I need Your help, Jesus. Change my heart and make me more like You. By the power and in the strength of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Philippians 4:8

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Father, I love these words. They are my heart’s desire. I want to focus my heart and mind on Your truth that is honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. It is beautiful, worthy of respect, excellent, and praiseworthy. Why do I waste so much time on foolishness when You have graciously given me a better way. I believe Your Spirit is able to give me all I need as I surrender to You. And by Your grace, I will be full of Your joy! Thanks and praise forever and always. Amen.

What’s your favorite verse to pray as you think about your relationships?

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