God, thank you for your spirit breaking down barriers within and without
Barriers that distort our ability to lead a life fully integrated
with you and your ways
Forgive us for the times we have deliberately resisted the Spirit’s work
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God for the barriers we create within ourselves,
Barriers that resist your healing work
and prevent us moving toward wholeness.
Forgive our self-centerdness, our anger,
our fear of change, our lack of trust in your love.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God, for the barriers we create between us and you,
Barriers that separate us from your love
and the assurance of your salvation.
Forgive our busyness, our independence, our desire to go our own way.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God, for the barriers we create between us and each other,
Barriers that separate us from neighbours near and far
and inhibit mutual love and care.
Forgive our resentment of others, our love of control,
our indifference to the poor.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God, for the barriers we create between us
and your beautiful creation,
Barriers that abuse your world and deny our responsibility as stewards.
Forgive our greed, our misuse of resources, our pollution of the environment.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
God, by the power of your spirit, free us and break down these barriers.
Turn us away from the bondage of a life lived for ourselves and our own desires,
May your spirit guide us into the freedom of life lived for you and your purposes.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
—Christine Sine, on her GodSpace blog. This prayer is part of a longer Pentecost litany--check her blog to see the entire thing.
For more prayers of confession and other worship resources for Pentecost Sunday (June 12, 2011), click on Pentecost in the list of links at the lower right side of the page.
