Prayers of Confession on Uncertainty

Adapted from Psalm 46; Matthew 7:21–29

God, our rock and refuge, there are plenty of things that we allow to erode our faith in you. When life gets stormy, we let our uncertainty cloud our trust in you. We think we know better and start relying on ourselves to be able to weather the rain. Forgive our lack of hope and the disbelief that drowns us. Allow us to hold on to you, our rock, and to build our lives on the foundation of your love. In the name of Jesus Christ, our stalwart and our shelter. Amen.

Kimberly Bracken Long Ed., Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 2, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation.

Living God, Today I confess that I allow my fear to drown out Your voice. I am afraid of the unknown and things outside my control. Help me hand these items over to you every hour of the day. Help me be quiet and still, waiting for Your will to be revealed rather than running ahead of You. Keep my heart open to the Spirit’s working. Remind me that I have daily bread from Heaven and a safe shelter in You when I am tempted to look elsewhere for hope and help. Through the power of the Lord Jesus, Amen.

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Holy God, we can be so full of fear at times – afraid of the unknown; afraid of what is beyond our control; afraid of what is strange to us.  And we know that fear stops us in our tracks, hinders our action, and gives excuse for not doing what you call us to do and what you empower us to do.  So we pray that you will give us courage, O God.  Give us strong hearts and open hands, that we might set aside our fear, and walk confidently into this world you have made.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Eternal God, we recognize that Your ways are mysterious. Teach us to be still and to wait for You. We confess our sinfulness, our need for control, and our discomfort with the unknown. Instead of turning to You, we numb our pain with temporary distractions. We pretend to have our lives together when we really feel inadequate and insecure. Thank You for Your patience with us when we are slow to recognize Your activity in our lives. You never give up on us, O Lord. God of grace, You show up in our lives in the most unexpected ways. Surprise us this week with an awareness of Your presence. Replace our fear with trust. Turn our anxiety into wonder. Give us Your peace and joy as we live by faith and not by sight. In the strong Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Almighty God, we confess our need of Your presence and Your guidance. We each have our hopes and expectations for what lies ahead, but only You can give us the strength and the wisdom we need. In life’s uncertainties, assure us of Your unchanging love. In disappointing moments, help us turn to You for stability. In temptation, give us courage to humbly place our hands into Yours. In daily preoccupations, open our eyes to the sorrows of our hurting world that we might respond with compassion. By your grace, equip us to keep You as the center of our lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Call to Confession: As the people of Judah cried out to God in their time of catastrophe, we remember that we, too, can bring our burdens before God. Let us join together in confession, confident that God hears us.

Prayer of Confession: Lord Almighty, we recognize the uncertainty of life. This day might be all we have. Too often we live in fear, hoarding what we do have, unsure of what the future will bring. We look around and see uncertainty, change, discontinuity, and we cling to what was. You are still at work, in us, around us, and through us. Please renew our trust in your faithfulness as we silently confess to you the ways we have stopped trusting you.

Austin D. Hill