A Morning Prayer for the Fruit of Self-Control

God of power and love,
I know the places where I lose control.
You know them too.

My tongue, when I'm tired or hurt.
My temper, when things don't go my way.
My appetite for more than I need:
more food, more screen time, more spending,
more of whatever fills the empty minutes.

I've tried to master these by willpower,
and it lasts about a morning.
So I'm asking for something deeper:
self-control that grows from Your Spirit in me.

When I reach for what I don't need,
give me a moment's pause.
When I'm about to say too much,
gently close my mouth.
And when I fail, don't let me give up.
Let me start again with You.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

When to Pray This

Pray this at the start of the day, before the old temptations of the day arrive. You can come back to it at midday after a slip, and start the day over.

A Verse to Hold On To

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control." — 2 Timothy 1:7 (BSB)