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First Friday Prayers: Prayers for Forgiveness

July 7, 2023 by Lauren 2 Comments

prayers for forgiveness

Today is Global Forgiveness Day!  The topic of forgiveness can be challenging for some and even triggering for others.  In our humanity, it can be hard to wrap our brains around.  Especially when the offense is great.  But if you will indulge me, I would like to look at prayers for forgiveness from two different angles.

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“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  Colossians 3:13 NIV

 

It’s easy to forget at times that our offenses against the God of the universe are great.  Any sin is too much for our Heavenly Father to associate with.  Without His forgiveness through the saving work of Jesus on the cross, we would be destined for an eternity separated from God – whether we killed someone or told a little white lie.  And most of us will fall somewhere in between, with many shortcomings both big and small.  Remembering this gives me a different lens through which to view others who’ve hurt me.

 

Easy for Me to Say

 

That doesn’t mean forgiveness comes easy.  And it certainly doesn’t mean that we should leave ourselves in dangerous or abusive situations.  Forgiving someone does not necessarily mean that person gets to hold a place at our table.  Setting healthy boundaries is important, and sometimes we need to seek the counsel of clergy or a trained therapist to help.

 

In light of God’s forgiveness and our command to forgive others, I want to offer two prayers for forgiveness.  If you aren’t sure you have received God’s forgiveness and understand that Jesus died as a perfect substitution for our sins so that we can receive forgiveness and live in community with God, please pray the following prayer:

 

Take Time to Take This In

 

This is the most important prayer you will ever utter.  And it doesn’t have to be in my words.  If you prayed this prayer while reading this article or you didn’t pray it because you don’t understand it, I would love to visit with you further.  Shoot me an email at [email protected].  Or hit the contact me tab at the top of this site.  What you send will be confidential and I would be happy to communicate with you by email, zoom or whatever we can come up with.  Or find a Bible believing church in your area and make an appointment to talk with a minister there.  No matter what you do, don’t let it be nothing.  Seek deeper knowledge and understanding for yourself and don’t keep such good news quiet!

 

If you have previously offered a prayer like the one above and are struggling to forgive someone in your life, here is a prayer for you:

 

I know this is tough, but I’m praying for you in your prayers for forgiveness. Don’t forget to share on social media or with a friend who could benefit.  It would mean so much to me.  And if you don’t want to miss a First Friday Prayers post, subscribe over on the right hand side of this page.  And if I can pray for you in more specific ways, drop me a message.  It would be an honor.

Lauren

And now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

 

Just a couple of days ago I had a conversation with friends that was very similar to what Lois Flowers is trying to say in How to Stop Being Too Easily Pleased by Distractions.

The Link Up

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

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MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
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LAUREN SPARKS
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LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
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TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
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First Friday Prayers: Good Friday

April 7, 2023 by Lauren 6 Comments

Happy Good Friday!  I pray this day affords you some time to meditate on the sacrifices Jesus made for you and me.  And the huge significance of the cross.

 

“For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NASB

 

If Good Friday commemorates the day Jesus died, why do we call it good?

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It’s because of the last part of our scripture passage for today.  “…that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”  We celebrate the day Christ died because he didn’t stay in the grave.  He rose again.

 

So why is this significant?  Because God loves us.  He is holy and cannot have any part of sin, which is a problem because we are all sinners.  The penalty for sin is death.  And not just a death in this body, but an eternity spent separated from God and all that is good.  So God sent a substitute, who had never sinned, to die in place of us all.

 

Last week I heard a great analogy.  When we decide to trust in Jesus and his sacrifice to save us from eternal death, God sees us through rose colored glasses.  He sees us as righteous because he sees us through the blood of Jesus.  Forgiven.  Made right.  Eternally secure.  That’s why the day Jesus died was a good day.  Will you join me thanking the Father by praying these scriptures?

 

And now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

A read through of 10 Bible Verses for Healing a Broken Heart from Lisa Blair was just what I needed this week.  Maybe you would be encouraged by this too!

The Link Up

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

 Now Let’s Link Up!

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

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About Me

I love Jesus, my husband and caffeine. The order of these can change depending on how tired I am. When my two daughters, stepson, and 4 grandchildren get to be too much, I practice yoga. God graciously allows me to share our adventures, victories and flub-ups from my laptop. May He be glorified here.
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