The Pit

Lord,

When I am faced with choices that would cause me to fall into the pit, help me to choose You instead.

And if I do choose other things, other attentions, or other beings over You, please help me not to be crushed by the weight of sin but rather to turn back to You, calling out your name for safe delivery home. 

I know, Lord Jesus, that you heal my soul when I return to You.  My mind and my body sometimes are left broken.  Help me to use that brokenness for further healing, learning, and to turn them inward so that I realize that it is in my hurts that I am most fortunate to be able to cling to You. 

Amen

Forgiveness

Lord,

When the natural order of things sometimes makes me feel battered and bruised

help me to remember that there are cycles of hurt and healing.  I will carry the memories with me but learn to incorporate them into my life in a way that adds meaning rather than despair.

Help me to remember, Lord, that when I need solace that I can turn to You no matter the time, the place, or the experience.

You will reach for me and let me know that You are near. I know that You don't usually take my hurts away because feeling them is good for my soul.  Life is full of disappointments, and sometimes feeling them makes us stronger.

Help me to surrender to You and to give you my pains so that we can share them.

Help me to remember that the grand scheme of things is bigger than my individual hurts.  I can always keep looking onward and upward and inward to find you because You whisper your presence into my ear in the little things.

Help the sun set on my hurts so that I can begin a new day today without letting them ruin new relationships, new experiences, and any new work you have for me to do.

Amen