How My Personal Version Of The Lord's Prayer Taught Me More About God | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

How My Personal Version Of The Lord's Prayer Taught Me More About God

Prayer is different for everybody.

492
How My Personal Version Of The Lord's Prayer Taught Me More About God
Pixabay

Most people — Christian or not — have heard the Lord’s Prayer. While I think it important to pray this prayer verbatim, I think it is also extremely important to personalize it. I interpret the little clause before the prayer, “Pray then like this,” as providing the format of how we ought to pray. Begin by praising God, pray for His will, ask for His strength for our daily needs, ask for help forgiving, remember that we are not higher than those who have hurt us (we are very much the same), and asking God’s help to flee from temptation. The “Pray then like this” is showing us a good format to pray well.

“Pray then like this:
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’” (Matthew 6:9-13)

After reading, reciting and meditating on this passage a lot this week, I have incorporated this format of prayer into my daily prayers. During stressful times, challenges, interpersonal and relational issues and working long shifts this week, I would find myself feeling empty. It was in these times that I remembered that I needed to pray. But not pray in the way that feels comfortable (i.e., asking God for things), but in ways that aren’t as comfortable. I prayed in a way where I spent more time praising God’s holiness and thanking Him for how good He is, when I feel and felt far from joyous.

God the Father in heaven,
God the Son at the right hand,
God the Holy Spirit within me,
You and You alone are
holy, righteous, just, merciful, and good.
Lord, let your will be done on this earth and in my life,
let me live and thrive in your will.
God, for the ways that I don’t understand,
grant me trust that You know better than I
and You will not let me fall from Your provisions.
Get me through today.
When I am attacked by negative thoughts or bouts of anger,
calm my mind and fill me with the Fruits of the Spirit.
Give me trust that You will take care of me.
God, forgive me for the ways that I constantly fail.
Thank you for Your atonement and radical love for me.
Thank you for Your forgiveness.
God, as You have forgiven me, help me to actively forgive those who have hurt me.
When I don’t feel like loving those who persecute me,
grant me patience and forgiveness.
When I don’t feel like trusting those who have hurt me,
grant me patience and forgiveness.
When I don’t feel like living in Your freedom,
let me cast off my fetters You have already broken.
Remove me from temptation.
When I succumb to painful thoughts, anxiety, distrust, anger, and self-pity, deliver me from Satan’s clutches.
For Your are so powerful and I am in awe of Your goodness.
Ravish my heart with Your good, good love, and help me to be more like You.

This is my personalized version of the Lord’s Prayer that I have been comforted by this week. It will change, but personalizing this prayer to align with how my heart is feeling, has taught me more about God.

Bless and be blessed this week.

Pray about what is difficult and ask God to give you strength and trust when you don’t have anything left to give.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over
reference.com

To those who celebrate, you just spent an entire day cooking an elaborate meal with all of your favorite foods. You probably ate your body weight in pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. What happens now? Oh yea, Christmas. It’s time to take out all of the decorations and Christmas themed things that have been sitting in the attic since last year; it’s time to make a reappearance. So, here are 10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

2993
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1800
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

201064
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21449
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments