Lord, please don’t let me live another day focused only on myself: how I look and how I feel, striving to be seen as attractive, intelligent, well-liked, and productive, but mostly striving just to be seen. If these are the prizes I choose to run after, don’t let me slog through another self-centered day.
Lord, please don’t let me live another day with a crippling mindset of fear. Don’t allow the dark presence of evil to overwhelm me. Give me a confidence born of faith. If I opt instead to live in dread and to dwell only upon fearful possibilities, please don’t let me agonize my way through another day.
Lord, please don’t let me live another day as a self-appointed judge. Keep me from scrutinizing other people’s actions, weighing them on my balance, and assigning motives based only on my own understanding. Don’t let me believe the lie that I function upon a higher, nobler level than the level upon which other people function. If I am determined to spend my time doling out criticism, don’t let me live another miserable, judgmental day.
Lord, please don’t let me live another day engaged in whining and complaining. Impress upon my heart the truth that I am blessed beyond measure. No person living in the past or in the present has received more good things than I have. If I am to insist upon feeling sorry for myself, don’t let me live another self-pitying day.
Lord, please don’t let me live another day bogged down with guilt. Help me believe Your promise to “remember my sins no more.” Cause me live in the light of redemption and not in the darkness of doubt. If I am determined to question Your forgiveness and consider myself unredeemable, don’t let me suffer through another day of self-condemnation.
Lord, don’t let me live another day wasted in chasing such idols as comfort, accomplishment, approval. Though these are not manmade gods of metal or stone, they are, nonetheless, idols and have no more power to satisfy and bless than had the Golden Calf. If I am to choose these gods over You, don’t let me live another idolatrous day.
Lord, please don’t let me live another day so caught up in the busyness of life that I find no time to spend with You. Motivate me to take advantage of opportunities to pray, to read and study Your Word, to speak of Your goodness, and to glorify Your name. If I find these activities so unimportant that I fail to involve myself in them, don’t let me live through another day of neglecting You.
Lord, when I ask that You not let me live another day engaged in worthless indulgences, I am not asking You to take my life from me. I am asking You to grace me with the new life that you have already died to give to me.
Help me hunger and thirst for that life: a life characterized by selflessness, gratitude, grace, peace, and humility. And help me not to give up on reaching this goal until it is fully mine. Let my entire existence be grounded upon the sureness of Your promises, the certainty of Your love, and the unwavering assurance of Your presence in my life.
And in that new life, Lord, give me many days to praise Your Name to the highest heights.
The Happy Geranium 
Great post to follow our sermon today, Debbie. Thank you for yet another reminder.
Thank you, Ra Anna, for reading and commenting AND for refraining from mentioning my typo!
Great thoughts, Debbie. Now, if I could just apply a portion of these gems of spiritual wisdom, I would be a much better person indeed!
Oh, Becky, wouldn’t we all?
Rarely are my missteps caused by a lack of knowledge but rather by an unwillingness to submit and obey.
Very powerful, Debbie. Each of us will find at least one paragraph that goes to our heart! Love, Julie
Thanks, Julie.
… or four or five or …. (in my case)
I love your from-the heart prayer, Debbie. My favorite line was the one-Help me to remember your promise to remember my sins no more. That was a great way to work in the Scripture, which Jesus showed us we are to pray.
In the guilt paragraph, there are a couple of “to’s” missing. I only point it out because I know that it matters to you. I admire the way you write with such tight structure throughout the piece. That is something you do consistently very well. It is a positive characteristic of your work. 🙂 MK
Thank you, my editing friend. I will fix those typos immediately.
Friends should always tell you when (1) You have food caught in your front teeth. (2) You have a dryer sheet sticking out of the back of your shirt. (3) You have a typo on display for all to see. 🙂
I could have written the same thoughts only not as well, Debbie! Well done, thou good and faithful servant:)
Thanks, Joyce.
Wow, Deb! You nailed it. Love this.
Barbara,
You know me well enough to know that I struggle every day to be the person I should be. I hope you also know that you have helped me grow spiritually and I treasure your friendship!
Love,
Debbie
I’m not finished,yet,but it’s pert neart midnight so I’ll come back to it…..I promise