Father, give us faith.
We love you, or say we do, when convenient,
Working hard to serve when visible, yet tending to lag when alone.

We so often complain about the complacency of others --
But truly are ourselves complacent.
We do not devote ourselves enough to your Word,
Either in reading or obeying.
We do not pray as we ought.
We do not trust you enough.
We do not find you our ultimate rest, instead idolizing other things.
We do not consider you worthy of our all.

Forgive us.

Allow us to grasp the depths of your love.
Then we might love you more as we ought.

Cause our faithfulness to you to grow
As we consider Your vast faithfulness to us.

Cause us to find joy and utter satisfaction in You
As our only comfort and peace.

Cause us to strive mightily by your grace and strength to excel in all things,
That we might not be a hindrance to the advancement of your Kingdom.

O that we could love you without effort.
Obey without effort, pursue without effort.
But though our spirits are often willing, our flesh is prone to faint.

You have called us to a life full of struggle against our flesh.
Our lust for comfort and pleasure, for sin and satisfaction,
Our desire to uphold our pride and be affirmed by men,
All of these, in the end, fail to bring wholeness to our souls.
And Father, we feel it. Oh, how we know 'tis true!

We do not hate our sins as we ought,
Yet feel the depth of despair when we look at the pit of our sinfulness
Against the mountains of your glory and perfect righteousness.

We look at our strivings and failings,
Our good works and bad deeds.
We weigh our public good deeds against our sinful private thoughts
And our hearts sink within us.

We have nothing to stand against your righteous wrath --
No word, thought, or deed.
Thus we feel unworthy, to even approach your gracious throne.

Yet this is when we must run to You,
Clinging to Your promises of Jesus' righteousness as our own,
Our sin upon His shoulders.

Help us to believe whilst buffeted by lies --
Lies from the enemy, lies we tell ourselves.

Teach our hearts to believe in your faithful promises --
Promises over death,
Promises over our sinful tendencies,
Promises to bring life,
Promises for our sanctification,
Promises to fill us with Your Holy Spirit, our helper and guide,
Promises of sure victory and Your coming Kingdom!

Lift up our heads, strengthen our hearts.
Cause us to resolve to trust and pursue you with all that we are.

May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to you, O Lord, the One Who Is Over All, our Rock and our Redeemer.