Here’s
a prayer of confession inspired by Proverbs 17:22: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the
bones.” It was submitted by Pastor Carl Eliason, Pastor of Peace Lutheran
Church in Grand Island, New England.
Introduction
Where
do you seek joy in your life? We all have people, activities, or things
that bring us moments of happiness. Sitting on the floor in a pile of
puppies, hearing a baby giggle, a cool breeze on a hot day, mashed potatoes and
gravy, or a squeezing hug from a loved one. However, all of these are just
moments of joy. Moments are temporary and can lead us to temptation to
relive a moment. We can also get caught in the trap of trying to create
even greater moments. Temporary joys followed by longer periods of
unhappiness. Or what happens when our expectations for happiness are not
met or even denied to us or stolen from us? The seeking of the moment
becomes an idol. An idol helps us realize that we have been seeking
happiness and joy in the wrong direction. God is the true source of
unending joy. Let's confess together.
Prayer of Confession (unison)
Gracious
God,
you have
blessed us with the entirety of your creation
and we have
taken it all and tried to place it
in a box
that we can control rather than manage.
When we go
against your will
we wonder
why life does not work out for us.
In our
brokenness
we seek
happiness and joy in things and expectations.
Then, outside
of your hope,
we are
crushed by the world around us
and our own
inward thoughts.
Holy Father,
shine your
light into the dark days and nights of our lives.
Forgive us
for falling from your love and blessings,
and for the
sake of Jesus,
restore in
us the joy that only comes
through your
Spirit living in us and through us. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Through his unending mercy and grace,
our heavenly Father offers his Son Jesus Christ
in exchange for our brokenness.
Jesus is the light the brings joy in the
morning
and leads us to eternity by grace through
faith.
He has destroyed the grip of darkness
that crushes the spirit
and allows me to announce to you the good news:
your sins are forgiven
in the name of the Father and the Son and the
Holy Spirit. Amen.
~
written by Carl Eliason, Pastor, Peace Lutheran Church in Grand Island, New
England.
