Father God,

You have been gracious to me.  You have provided for and kept me according to Your grace and mercy.  Your faithfulness has preserved my soul.

There will be problems today that I don’t have to solve. You didn’t call me to be a problem solver but a servant. Let my service give comfort and joy and grace.

Help me rest in Your peace, so that I can love those in conflict without being a part of the conflict.

Keep me from interfering with Your work in their hearts; remind me that my own heart needs a lot of work.

Deliver me from the unreasonable and wicked.

Please help me remember today that the battles I face are ultimately spiritual in nature and the casualties of war are souls. 

Guard my thoughts and set a seal on my lips. 

Keep me aware of the deceit in this world, and do not allow me to be caught in its web. 

Grant wisdom and grace and peace.

I love You, Lord.

I Peter 3:⁸ Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. ⁹ Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. ¹⁰ For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
¹¹ let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (ESV)

Photo – Georgia Autumn, Beth Mims