Prayer of Renewal

He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! Psalm 103:5

Throughout scripture, God tells us He is the God of renewal. Renewed strength. Renewed energy. Renewed purpose. Renewed life.

Here we are in the first week of 2018, and I don’t know about you but I am in desperate need of renewal. The last few years have left me drained, exhausted. I long for a fresh breath of life, for a fresh start.

As we enter a new year, there’s no better time to ask God for a fresh filling of His spirit, for a true renewal of our spirits, minds, and strength. There’s no better time to seek God’s face for refreshment that can only come from Him.

Would you join me in praying for renewal in 2018?

Lord Jesus, we are weary, run-down, worn out from this crazy journey called life. It seems there’s never enough time and certainly never enough energy. We long for a break, for an opportunity to just slow down and breathe. We long to have enough to give the best to those we love, but it seems all we have to serve is our left-overs.

You promise us that you are enough, that your grace is sufficient. You promise that we will find new strength, that we will run and not grow weary is only we trust in you. Your promise us that your yoke is easy and your burden is light.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

And yet that’s not how it feels.

We long to trust you, to have all of our hope in you. We long to walk so intimately with you that we never doubt, never fear. We long to be embraced by your perfect peace.

But this life is constant, never letting up. We face trials and tribulations. We are overcome by the pain of this broken life. We struggle to get our heads above water long enough to keep breathing.

And it overwhelms us, overtakes us. We lose sight of you, of your goodness, of your tender mercies that you pour out so freely. We fail to see you in our circumstances.

And we miss the renewal you so long to give us.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29

Lord Jesus, we confess our sins of busyness, of distraction. We confess our lack of faith as we take our eyes off you and put them on our circumstances. We confess our inability to walk in complete obedience, casting our cares on you.

We beg you to help us refocus on you in this new year, to make you our priority. We ask you to step in and take over this life, to live through us instead of us trying to live this crazy life. We pray that we might decrease so you might increase, so the world might see you in us and through us.

As we refocus, we beg you to pour out your newness in our lives. Give us a new song.

He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. Psalm 40:3

A new heart.

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. Ezekiel 36:26

A new purpose.

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

A new nature.

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Colossians 3:10

A new wardrobe.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12

A new life.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Renew our strength for each day, each moment we face.

He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Psalm 23:3

Turn our hearts, our faces to you. Turn our attention, our thoughts to you. Focus our thoughts on you, on your goodness and grace. May we live every moment in light of who you are and your love for us.

Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Ephesians 4:23

Help us be a living testimony of your renewal. Let us pour out your refreshment on others as you pour it out on us.

The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25

Father, let this be the year where we find the renewal that can only come from you. As you pour it out over us, may we be positioned to receive. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. Psalm 94:19