a prayer that covers all the bases

Thanks mom, for sending it to me, I really needed it today :)

Lord, Please Hear Our Prayers, by Tom Norvell


Father, please hear the prayers we offer.

Lord, please take away the sadness. We are hurting. We are weary. There
are days we cannot remember what joy felt like. Our hearts have been
broken. We sometimes wonder if you really care ... and if you are
really there. We are not sure how much we can bear. So, in our sadness
we pray, "Father, restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me
a willing spirit, to sustain me."

Lord, please take away the fear. There's so much happening that we
don't understand. We struggle with the uncertainty. We struggle to find
confidence. We are looking for reasons for hope. So, in our times of
fear we pray, "Father, walk with us and hold us in Your strong hands."

Lord, please take away the disappointment. Too often we've put our
trust in people; too often we watch them fail. We put our hope in
things; and things never last. With each disappointment our hearts grow
sicker as our hopes slowly seem to fade in the darkness. So, in our
disappointment we pray, "Father, help us to be faithful to You, and
never forget Your promise to be faithful in all things."

Lord, please take away the doubt. Deep in our hearts we know you care.
In the depths of our souls we know You are always near. At times our
faith is weak and our confidence is depleted. So, in times of doubt we
pray, "Father, open our eyes and open our ears."

Father, thank you for filling us with your presence.

Lord, please take away the anger. We are not by nature angry people.
But, there are times when the anger waits just beneath the surface to
erupt at just the wrong moment. We don't want that anger to take root
in our hearts. We want to let go of it and harbor no resentment. We
want to forgive. So, in our anger we prayer, "Father, forgive us as we
forgive those who have sinned against us."

Lord, please take away the hurt. The hurts ... well, they hurt. The
hurt seems to never end. Pain is all around us. Not just us, but people
all around us are crying for relief. So in our times of hurting we pray
for Your healing hand to rest upon us, and to feel Your comforting
Spirit within us, and that someday we might understand.

Lord, take away the loneliness. There are times when loneliness almost
completely overwhelms us. We long for relationship. We long for
friendship. We long for love. We know You are always with us. We know
your love is real. But, sometimes, Lord, we need someone we can touch,
someone we can see, and someone we can feel. So, in our loneliness we
pray, "Fill us, Lord, with Your presence."

Father, thank you for restoring joy to us, for calming our fears, for
reassuring us of Your faithfulness, for opening our eyes and ears to
the certainty of You, for forgiving us of our sins, for healing us of
our hurts, and for filling us with Your presence. We love you.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And
the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7 TNIV).

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(c) 2009 Tom Norvel