A Prayer of Thanks and Praise When I Fail

They traded God’s truth for a lie, and they worshipped and served the creation instead of the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. – Romans 1:25

I admit, one of the things I struggle with the most is learning good stewardship. I find that I almost always fail to follow God’s ways if they involve money. I had been getting a bit desperate in my prayers about this lately. My husband and I are always trying so hard to improve our stewardship, keep tithing, pay off our debts, and remember when we spend that this is money God provided us by His Grace in giving us jobs… but it’s still so hard sometimes. Or rather so easy to get behind again and again. And I try to make myself feel better by reminding myself that we always do better than we used to, that we’ve never as far behind as we used to be, but all of that just indicates that we are not actually giving up our struggles into God’s hand. When God is in control, I don’t need to justify, I am justified through Him. Not only that, but I start to get nervous and panicky and think that there must be something I’m not doing right, some key I have yet to find that will give me the self control to always stay within my budget. And then I realize, all that is needed for all of this, to become the person I know God is leading me to be is to keep studying His Word and following His path through prayer and that study. It is such a relief!

On that note, will you pray with me?

Lord, I fail almost all the time to be a good or even adequate steward with the funds You give my family. I see myself falling short so often and I get frustrated and feel like giving up, but then Father, I remember that You have saved me, by Grace. I remember that I can thank YOU for all the times I’ve done better, for all the moments I’ve avoided temptation, and I can Thank You because You will be there in future, disciplining me and testing me over and over so that I can improve and grow. I thank You for every low moment You’ve gotten me through already (all of them!) And all the low moments too l know You’ll help me through as I continue to study Your Word and grow in Your Love and Grace. Thank You mostly, Lord, for the rest You provide so that I may praise You even in another minor storm. Praise Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen

A Prayer for When We Feel Our Vision Is Stifled

Lord,

Please help my husband to feel his voice is being heard at work. He has a hard time letting go of the vision in his mind sometimes and adapting to new ideas. Please help him be able to hear other’s visions for projects as well and to be able to incorporate them in with his ideas so that they can all feel appreciated as a team and so that he can have a better time socially at work as well. I feel like I do not do a great job of encouraging him because I don’t just support his need to see his own ideas to completion, so please, Lord, let me have the right words to encourage him but also help him see another point of view. Also please help me to see how best to help him through this situation and to help him feel appreciated and heard here at home as well. We love your guidance of our lives, Lord, and we lay them down before you. Your word tells us to:

      1 Peter 4:8-10

     New American Standard Bible (NASB)

     8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one        

    another without complaint. 10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of

     the manifold grace of God.

And I pray you will allow us to remember that, and remember that you’ve given us each a gift meant to be given to the world, and that you wouldn’t mean for one to be more important than another or for one to overshadow or be seen or heard more often, but that if this happens and we feel unsure of our own gifts, we need to remember to stay loving to those who look to be more appreciated and honor them and their gifts as well as we do our own. Please help us to remember this, Lord, and help my husband to see his way clear to honor these ideas at work. Thank you so much, Lord, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

A good article on teamwork verses: http://www.greatresultsteambuilding.net/blog/entry/five-great-teamwork-verses-from-the-bible

A Prayer for Encouragement, Enthusiasm, and Energy for my Husband and I.

Dear Lord,

Today we pray in gratefulness that You will let us spend this day being encouraged, enthusiastic, and energetic.

We pray happily knowing You are the light unto our feet and that You placed the dreams in our hearts so we need not fear You will help us achieve them if we have faith and keep You the center of our lives. Please encourage my husband as he faces his day, keep him safe in Your love and protection on his commute, give him energy to tackle his tasks and help him to find things that make him enthusiastic and inspired at work, Lord.

I am so thankful You gave him this great job and that he supports us so well. Help me to be a good steward of the money he makes for our family and please reward his diligence and hard work so that he can be more content in his life at work, Lord.

I know he tries to work as if he’s working only for You, and I know sometimes he struggles, and we are forever thankful that we can count on You to get us through times of discouragement and that even though it’s hard for him to see at times, You are assuredly using this job to help him along his path that we know You designed just for his life. Create in him a renewal of his spirit so that he may better serve You, Lord.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Scripture reference: Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people.  Colossians 3:23 (CEB)