5 Prayers of Humilityنموونە

Prayer 5: “Lord, Give Me a Broken and Contrite Heart.”

Psalm 51 is my favorite Psalm to read if I know I have sinned against God.

Obviously, I don’t ever want to sin. However, like most of us, sometimes I sin anyway. And since I always ask God to keep me on a short leash, then His conviction sets in right away when I sin against Him.

When I sin, sometimes I do have a truly repentant heart right at the beginning.

In those cases, I simply repent right away and get things right with God. Those are the easy days, for He forgives us as soon as we confess our sins. (See 1 John 1:9.)

However, on other days, I need the Lord to change my heart. I might be so angry about something that I'm not sorry for the way I acted. And in those moments, I ask the Lord to change my heart—and to make me truly repentant for my sin.

We each need to pray for a broken and contrite heart every day.

Having a broken and contrite heart simply means that your heart will be continually tender toward God. It doesn’t mean that you’ll sit around and be depressed, "dying of a broken heart."

Instead, it means you will reach and remain in a continual state of lovesickness toward Jesus. And in that place of lovesickness toward our Savior, you will constantly acknowledge your dependence on Him. That tenderness of the heart toward Jesus produces an intimacy with Him that will fill you with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

So pray this today:

"Lord, give me a broken and contrite heart that You will not despise!"

Pray that prayer daily, and continue to seek the Lord as you pray it. He alone is able to change your heart and truly make you humble before Him. But as He walks with you on your journey toward humility, He will reward you greatly—and His grace will be powerfully manifest in your life.

Did this Bible Plan help you? If you would like additional tools and resources, check out our library of free prayer guides here on FromHisPresence.com!