An Evening Prayer to Lay Down My Pride

God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
That is the heart of my prayer tonight,
but let me tell You the rest honestly.

I wanted to be right today,
and I wanted everyone to know it.
I wanted the last word.
I wanted credit for things
other people helped me do.

I compared myself with others
and came out rather well, in my own eyes.
I looked down on someone.
You saw it, even if they didn't.

Like the man at the back of the temple,
I won't stand here listing my good deeds.
I just want to go home forgiven.

Make me small enough to see clearly.
Let me be glad when others are praised.
And let me rest tonight, not as someone important,
but as someone loved.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

When to Pray This

Pray this on an evening when you realize you were proud, or that you looked down on someone. It is a prayer for the end of the day, when no one is watching and you can be honest.

A Verse to Hold On To

"God be merciful to me a sinner." — Luke 18:13 (KJV)