Prayers of Confession on Hard-Heartedness
Adapted from Psalm 73:1–28 (Includes Assurance of Pardon)
Certainly God is good to his people, to those pure in heart,
but as for me, I nearly stumbled; I nearly lost my sure footing.
I struggle with envy as I look at the those in the world who
act arrogantly and yet just seem to get richer.
I struggle with grief and bitterness towards God. I’ve lost
my bearings and acted foolishly. Like a beast only driven
by worldly desire and cravings.
~ Silent Confession ~
Assurance of Pardon (Together)
In all this, you haven’t cast me away. You keep me
close to your side. You continue to guide me by your
Word and counsel, and after all of this you will
welcome me into your glorious presence!
What can the world offer to me that I don’t already have in You?!
There’s nothing for me here better than You. My flesh
and my heart aren’t trustworthy, but You are and you
give me strength! My cup overflows with endless provision.
Anyone who doesn’t have you doesn’t have life and
will certainly perish. Our God is a consuming fire!
I know that my best can only come when I’m near You!
I will run to You for safety and provision and tell
others of all you’ve done for me!
Christ Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Jonesboro, Arkansas
Heavenly Father, forgive us when we are lost, and when we do not seek those who are. Forgive us when we harden our hearts and do not understand the magnitude of your love. Lead us with your Holy Spirit to receive your grace and offer it to others. We pray these things in the name of the one you sent to reclaim us, Christ Jesus. Hear our prayers as we continue our confession in silence…
Submitted by Allen Thompson
Holy God, we know that you created us in love, to enjoy this world and You, to serve your creation and your children. And we know that we do not do your will.
With clenched hands, we can neither give nor receive.
With eyes tight shut, we cannot see pain or beauty.
With feet of clay, we cannot dance in joy or run to help.
We ask for your help and your power to change. Open our hands and eyes, move our feet, toward grace and hope and trust in You.
This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
O God of grace and truth: We confess it is all too easy for us to sacrifice convictions for convenience, standards for status, principles for promotion, absolutes for ambition. We are readily seduced by power and prestige, by pleasures and possessions. From what the world offers, we turn to You unfulfilled. Forgive our half-heartedness and our double-mindedness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Renew and refresh us through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
O Lord, you have mercy upon all—take away from us all our sins, and mercifully kindle in us the fire of your Holy Spirit. Take away from us a heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love and adore you, a heart to delight in you, to follow and to enjoy you, for Christ’s sake. Amen.
Ambrose of Milan, Language adapted for Corporate Worship by Stuart Strachan Jr.
Leader: The word of the Lord as it came to the prophet Isaiah says:
You will listen and listen,
but never understand;
you will look and look,
but never perceive.
For this people’s heart has grown callous;
their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
otherwise they might see with their eyes
and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts
and turn back –
and I would heal them
(Matthew 13:14-15)
We come before God, sadly admitting that we are these people.
All: Gracious God,
we confess that as we listen to the world
we do not hear the cries of the poor
and our ears tune out pain and suffering
As we look at the world
we do not see the marginalised
and our eyes are blind to systemic injustice
We listen to your word
but our hard hearts find ways to avoid your call to action
and put our own interests above others’
Soften our callous hearts
open our eyes and ears
fill us with your Spirit of Life
and bring healing to us and all your hurting children
Leader: In Matthew 11 we hear John the Baptist’s disciples come to Jesus with the question “are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the poor are told the good news.”
So hear the good news. Jesus came to give you sight and hearing: that you would walk in the way of God and be raised to new life. In him, your sins are forgiven; you are cleansed and you are freed to experience the world through the cross.
Submitted by Jacob Traeger
God of wisdom, we come before you in humility. Too often we choose our own way, discern our own path, without looking to you. We ignore the prompting of your Holy Spirit, and choose what is easiest, most comfortable, or requires the least from us. Please forgive us for our narrowmindedness. Soften our hearts of stone, that we might have, instead, hearts of flesh to perceive your call in our lives. Then please give us the courage to act on your calling.
Austin D. Hill