A Prayer about Feeling Overwhelmed by Our Sin

Rescuing Lord,

We turn to you again, waiting, waiting, waiting 

for you to turn to us and hear our cry. 

We know you will, 

for you have before, 

sending your Son, 

your very own Son, 

to yank us out of the miry bog 

of the messes of our own making, 

the sin we commit and the consequences we suffer. 

Dane Ortlund points out that “self-despair” 

is a good place to begin to know the depth of your love*, 

so please, even as our many sins lead us to despair, 

may we know even more 

how all-encompassing and all-consuming 

is your love. 

Indeed, as David prays, 

“you will not restrain your mercy from me; 

your steadfast love and your faithfulness 

will ever preserve [us]” (Psalm 40:11). 

We believe; help our unbelief (Mark 9:24). 

Even now, may we believe 

the truth we affirm from your word, 

“We are poor and needy, but [you] take thought for [us].

You are [our] help and [our] deliverer;

Do not delay, O [our] God!” 

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen.

Read Psalm 40. 

From Dane Ortlund’s Deeper, p. 47: “The Bible teaches, rather, that each experience of despair is to melt us afresh into deeper fellowship with Jesus.”