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A Prayer about Bearing One Another’s Burdens

by | Apr 16, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Bearing One Another’s Burdens

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Merciful God,

How exquisitely you have designed your church, 

the body of Christ. 

You have called us to share our weakness 

with you and with one another, 

and you tell us that in that weakness 

we find our greatest strength

—strength in dependence on Christ, 

strength in dependence on one another (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). 

Today, I pray especially for those in our body who are weak—

the bereft grieving the loss of a loved one, 

the caregiver serving a loved one through many hard days, 

the sick and frail struggling with illness, whether physical or mental….

[Name some weak people you would like to pray for….]

May we truly lift them up, not only in prayer but in service, by bearing their burdens—listening without trying to fix, bringing meals or mowing lawns, forgiving their irritability…

[Name some ways you might bear the burdens of someone who is weak….]

We pray too, that you would empower the weak 

with the humility and grace required 

to receive the loving care of the body of Christ. 

In Jesus’ burden-bearing name. Amen. 

Read Galatians 6:1-10.

 

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Sharing Our Stories

by | Apr 15, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Sharing Our Stories

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4

Author God,

What exciting stories of redemption 

you have written in our lives. 

Every day of our life, 

may we live to tell that story, 

in our deeds and in our words.

May we also be intentional 

about the legacies we leave 

for the next generation of believers, 

writing and recording the stories 

of how you have performed 

your mighty acts in our lives. 

Help us to make time to write these stories, 

or if we are unable to write them, 

to record them through video or audio, 

the story of when and how you drew us to yourself, 

the story of when you picked us up when we had fallen down (Psalm 145:14), 

the story of how you provided for us out of your “abundant goodness” (Psalm 145: 7), 

the story of how your power worked miraculous changes (Psalm 145:11), 

[name a story of God’s work you’d like to tell.]

As we write and record these stories, 

give us the courage to share them with others, 

that they too might be inspired to tell the story 

of your wonderful goodness, 

that all might know the hope of redemption in Jesus Christ.

Amen. 

Read Psalm 145. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about an Eternal Perspective on Aging

by | Apr 11, 2024 | aging, dying, and death, Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about an Eternal Perspective on Aging

Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4:16

Eternal Lord,

The Bible is clear about the losses of aging, 

but it also provides hope in the midst of these losses. 

The apostle Paul offers an eternal perspective 

that helps us live wisely and graciously as we age. 

He shares about the affliction he has experienced, 

saying that it has not crushed him (See 2 Cor. 4:8-9). 

He states bluntly the reality 

that our outer self is wasting away. 

And yet, he says, “our inner self is being renewed day by day.” 

Paul offers more hope in the midst of loss, 

“For this light momentary affliction 

is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory 

beyond all comparison…” (2 Cor. 4:17).  

We must see look through the lens of an eternal perspective 

to see our suffering as fleeting and insubstantial 

in comparison with the enduring weight and substance 

of eternal glory. 

We can picture a timeline 

extending from before the dawn of time to beyond its end. 

Eternal glory spans the entire length of the timeline, 

into eternity, 

while our afflictions occupy 

only brief, intermittent sectors. 

Our suffering molds us and refines us 

to reflect the very nature 

of our suffering and glorious Christ. 

Help us, Lord, 

to see all of the losses of this life 

through the lens of an eternal perspective: 

Help us to look beyond 

the light and momentary trials and troubles 

of this fallen world 

to the eternal welcome, beauty, and joy 

of heaven and the new heavens and new earth.

In the hope-full name of Jesus. Amen.

Read 2 Corinthians 4:8-18.

*This prayer based on my article: An Eternal Perspective on the Losses of Aging



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Receiving Christ

by | Apr 10, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Receiving Christ

Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him. Colossians 2:6

Precious Lord,

May we not rush past the first two clauses of this profound verse 

in our hurry to finish our daily Bible reading. 

First, let’s pause and ask, 

“Have we received Christ Jesus the Lord?” 

Have we been given this free gift 

and marveled at the wonder 

that we have been chosen as its recipient? 

Do we remember that you are a gift given to us by our Father, 

not because we deserved it or earned it 

but simply because of his abounding grace? 

Second, we should ask, “What is this gift we have received?” 

It is you, Christ, the “anointed One,” our King. 

It is you, Jesus, our Savior. 

It is you, our dear Lord, 

the one who rules over heaven and earth. 

What a treasure we have been given!  

What an honor to receive such a gift! 

When we have paused to consider the “unsearchable riches” 

we have received in you, 

then and only then, 

can we understand how to “walk in you.” 

To walk in you is to be filled by your Spirit, 

to be moved to action. 

We do not merely sit in our recliner, 

reveling in our gift. 

We live out of your riches in glory, 

knowing that we have all that we need 

because we have you. 

We act, believing what we have received, 

moving with confidence to tell others 

about the extraordinary gift 

of Christ Jesus our Lord.

In your beautiful name we pray. Amen.

Read Colossians 2:1-6. 



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about Knowing Our God-given Limits

by | Apr 8, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Knowing Our God-given Limits

So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons.

Mark 1:33

Precious Jesus, 

As we live in your strength through your Spirit, 

may we learn to follow your lead in knowing when to say “enough.” 

Not too long ago,

I heard some wise words 

on saying no to the demands of our world.* 

Vanessa Hawkins, the speaker, 

pointed out that though people brought “all” who were sick, 

and the “whole” city was gathered, 

you chose to heal “many,” not all (Mark 1:32-33). 

We don’t know your ways, 

but we know you have the wisdom of limits, 

something we would do well to learn. 

So often we strive 

to do it all, 

to have it all, 

to be all things 

to all people. 

But you healed “many,” 

and then, as Vanessa pointed out, 

you went to sleep. 

The next morning 

you got up, “rose,” very early, 

to go out and pray (Mark 1:35).

Tomorrow we’ll consider how you found rest in prayer, 

as you heard your Father 

speak words of delight and purpose over you.

For today, we ask that you would send your Spirit 

to show us places 

where we may be trying to live beyond 

the very human limits 

you yourself submitted to. 

In your limit-giving name. Amen. 

Read Mark 1: 21-39.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker

A Prayer about the God Who Hears Our Groans

by | Apr 7, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the God Who Hears Our Groans

And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. 

Exodus 2:24–25

All-knowing God,

We are so grateful that we know 

that you know our very groans. 

You hear our groans, 

whether over grief due to a loved one’s death 

or the suffering of mental illness 

or the sorrow over wars and strivings. 

As you hear, you see us in our suffering, 

and you know us through and through. 

That knowledge leads you to act on our behalf. 

We who belong to you know 

that you have rescued us already 

from the worst slavery, 

the slavery to sin and death. 

But you don’t stop there. 

You continue your redemptive work 

in this hurting world, 

every moment till our Savior returns 

to fully establish his kingdom of shalom 

right here on this groaning earth. 

We are so grateful—

you never never forget 

your covenant with your people, 

sealed through your Spirit, 

kept through your faithfulness in your Son. 

And we are so grateful—

as you remember, you rescue. 

In Jesus’ hope-bringing name. Amen.

Read Exodus 2.



Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage

author, life and legacy coach, speaker