Prayers to Strengthen the Inner (Wo)Man

Help me, Holy Spirit, to cultivate the hidden person of my heart, the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. (1 Peter 3:4)

I want to keep Christ at the center, that love for Christ would be perfected in my relationships, that we might have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17)

Let me remind my friends that they are no longer slaves but sons, and if a son, than an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:7)

Help me, Jesus, to have self-control, to not be idle, wandering from house to house, and not only idle but also a gossip and busybody, saying things which I ought not. (1 Timothy 5:13)

I set my heart to lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares me, that I would run with endurance, the race set before me, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross. (Hebrews 12:1,2)

I need grace to lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word…to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only. (James 1:21,22)

Keep me as a faithful steward of the mysteries of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1)

Remind me, Holy Spirit, that all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. (1 Corinthians 10:23)

I long to love well, to suffer long and be kind, to not envy, parade myself or be puffed up. I set my heart to not behave rudely, seek my own, think any evil. I do not want to rejoice in iniquity, but rejoice with the truth. Help me, Holy Spirit, to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things. (1 Corinthians 13)


Above all, I want to have fervent love for Christ, for love will cover a multitude of sins, to be hospitable, without grumbling. (1 Peter 4:8,9) 

Remembrance

Never forget to remember, paradoxical isn't it? But really, don't forget to remember. Remembrance is the beautiful memory of what once was. It is the strength in the storm, the calm in the midst of seemingly precarious moments.

I remember Jesus' mercy. I remember how He never quit calling my name. Over and over again He chased me down, He never gave up on me. I remember how He won my heart, those gentle cords of loving kindness brought me to repentance. 

Remembrance keeps me steady, I can stand on the Rock that is higher because He's already proven Himself faithful and He's sure to remain. 

There is hope for I remember that Jesus promised that He would rule and reign over wickedness. The day of vengeance is in His heart, Jesus remembers injustice done to me. Because He never forgets, neither will I.

O sweet Restorer of my soul

Takes the broken and makes it whole

My dark heart You call lovely

Seeing past the insecurity

This God of love

Misunderstood for He is far above

Forgetful man cannot erase

The perfect Man dying in my place

And so to my Beloved I promise

To remember to keep this

Act of mercy always before me

God, cursed, on a tree