5 Prayers to Get You Through the Day

Prayer is a vital practice of the Christian life. I’ve heard it said that for the Christian praying is like breathing. It’s true—I need my ongoing conversation with God. It is like water for my soul. Like water, I need to make sure I get plenty of it to ensure everything keeps running smoothly. Without regular daily prayer, I am quickly lost in a maelstrom of confusion and darkness.

In the following paragraphs, I will share 5 prayers to get you through the day.

• The Lord’s Prayer
• The Armor of God
• The Serenity Prayer
• The Prayer of Saint Francis Assisi
• Terri’s Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, he responded:

Pray like this:

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

This may be a prayer you recite liturgically at your church or at home. It tunes our hearts and minds to the right order of things.

The Armor of God

One powerful way to pray is to pray the words of Scripture. That’s the case with the Apostle Paul’s passage on spiritual warfare. As believers and followers of Jesus, we are always in a battle. Don’t leave your armor, weapons, and protection at home.

From the Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT)

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

The Serenity Prayer

I first learned this prayer some 27 years ago in my first twelve step meeting. For those of you who don’t know, twelve step meetings are meetings you can attend, free of charge, to help you overcome and recover from addiction.

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.

Written by Reinhold Niebuhr

The Prayer of Saint Francis Assisi

I am told that even though this prayer is often attributed to the great Francis of Assisi that he did not actually compose it. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful reminder in keeping our eyes on the Lord and keeping life in right perspective.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring love.
Where there is offense, let me bring pardon.
Where there is discord, let me bring union.
Where there is error, let me bring truth.
Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.
Where there is despair, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.
Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.
O Master, let me not seek as much
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love,
for it is in giving that one receives,
it is in self-forgetting that one finds,
it is in pardoning that one is pardoned,
it is in dying that one is raised to eternal life.

Terri’s Prayer

Several years ago, while we were going through a very challenging season, Terri wrote a prayer she shared with me to help us navigate the storms we were living through at the time.

Terri’s Prayer

One day at a time

One foot in front of the other

Focus on God

Don’t forget to breathe

This too shall pass

Be kind with your words

No one is guaranteed tomorrow

©2017 Terri Walker Bantau

Prayer is both a powerful tool and a formidable weapon for Christians. Prayer is also a conduit to communicate and commune with God. As a spiritual discipline, the regular practice of prayer helps us grow more Christlike as we draw nearer to God. I believe prayer helps us grow in wisdom and stature.

May you be blessed and enriched by today’s post. Godspeed.

The Devotional Guy™

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