Prayer For Irritability
Father, I repent and renounce and release the dependency by which I've lived until now. Whatever the rootsself-doubt, self-hatred, self-loathing, etc.I release the sense that I need anything or anyone but You and Your truth to get me through the day and through this life. Remind me, moment by moment, that my God will meet all my needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
Lord, with Your help, I release all the negative thoughts, feelings and impressions that lead to an attitude of victimhood in my life. I turn from it. I refuse to be a victim any longer. I choose to rely and live on the truth of Your Word that says I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37) rather than a victim, through the One who loves me and gave Himself for me. Let me live a victorious life from this moment on instead of entertaining any thoughts of victimhood.
Mighty God, for too long I have wanted to be in control, tried to be in control and cherished the illusion that I am in control. I release myself and my illusions into Your hands. By Your grace, I surrender my need to feel in control, and embrace the truth that You are in control and that I can control only my inner life and not my outward circumstancesand certainly not other people. Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot control, courage to change the few things I can (my thoughts and actions) and wisdom to know the difference.
Father, I give my fear to You. I have been crippled and poisoned by fear for too long. I reject it. I release it. I choose faith instead of fear, believing in Your good plans for me. I choose love instead of fear, trusting that Your perfect love will cast out all fear (1 John 4:18). I choose Your light and truth instead of fear, accepting Your Word, which says I need not fear terror that stalks in the night, the arrow that flies in the day, plague that strikes in the darkness, or calamity that destroys at noon, because you are with me (Psalm 91:5-6, ISV).
Lord God, I release ______ into your care. You know all my love and concern for (him/her). I know that You share that love and concern, so I release (him/her) into Your hands. Help me to find healthy and helpful ways to love and care and pray for (him/her), even as I learn to trust You to see all I cannot see and do what I cannot do.
God, hear me and answer me. You know I am troubled by thoughts and feelings of anger, resentment and bitterness. You also know why. And You know how deep the hurt goes and how long I have lived with it. But I don't want to live with it any longer. I don't want to be an angry, resentful and bitter person. With Your help, I release my anger into Your hands. I surrender my resentment. I let go of my bitterness. Help me to keep letting go and release these toxic emotions as often as they try to return.
Dear Lord Jesus, this is another day you have made, and I will rejoice in be glad in it. How can I not be glad and rejoice with all my heart? Though there remain many things over which I have zero controlcircumstances I'd love to change, people I yearn to be healthier, and stories I wish I could write, nonetheless, my blessings in you far outnumber the broken things in my world.
Thank you for giving me the awareness of my need, and the faith to believe, that you are Lordthe Lord of creation and the new creation; the Lord of life and of death; the Lord of all kings and all craziness; the Lord of the environment and all government; the Lord of my days and my hairs; the Lord of my hunger and my feasting; the Lord of my laments and my laughter; the Lord of my justificationindeed my whole salvation.
Lord Jesus, with grace-bought freedom, I once again confess you to be the Lord of lords and King of kings. I do believe in my heart that God raised you from the deadfor my redemption, as well as the restoration of the entire universe. In you, I have complete forgiveness. In you, I'm counted perfectly righteous. In you, I have citizenship in heaven. Hallelujah, many times over!
You have born my shame, and you will eradicate all remaining vestiges shame in my life. Anyone and everyone who trusts in you will never be put to shame. For so great a salvation, I praise you. For so liberating a hope, I adore you. For being such a sovereign and loving Lord, I worship you. So very Amen I pray, in your strong and compassionate name.
Dear heavenly Father, though there's a lot more in this remarkable passage about the love, I chose to stop this morning with Paul's couplet about love not being irritable or resentfulbecause I woke up with a measure of each vying for my day. I need your grace, even before the sun comes up. So I come to youI run to you, thankful for your welcome and new mercies.
Father, I don't want this to be a bad attitude day, and as tempting as it is to blame and make excuses for my low-grade irritability, I'm not gonna do it. I am canceling my plans for a pity party; and I relinquish my elder-brother attitude of condescension, withdrawal, and judgment. Our feelings are to be taken seriously, but our feelings aren't lordthat would be Jesus.
So, Father, by your grace, settle me, center me, and gentle me for the day. I am grateful for your steadfast love, inexhaustible patience, and perpetual kindness. I want to walk in your Spirit today, a whole lot more than I want to cop an attitude. May I forgive as you've forgive me; accept as you have accepted me in Christ; and encourage others, increasingly, as the great Day of Jesus' return approaches.
Once again, I trust you for thick skin and a big heart. Free me to love to your glory, all day long. So very Amen I pray, in Jesus' great and grace-full name.