When faced with difficult choices, it is often helpful to pray for guidance and discernment.
Praying for wisdom can also be helpful, especially when we feel like we are at a crossroads in our lives.
In today’s blog post, we will discuss some of the benefits of prayer for discernment and wisdom, as well as share a few prayers that you can use to help you make decisions. Let’s get started!
The benefits of prayer for discernment and wisdom
- Praying for discernment and wisdom can help us to make difficult choices in our lives.
- When we pray for guidance, we are asking God to help us see the situation clearly and to make the best decision possible.
- Praying for wisdom is like asking God for a GPS system; it helps us to know which way to go when we feel lost.
- Discernment is the ability to see things clearly, while wisdom is the ability to apply that knowledge in a way that is beneficial.
- When we pray for discernment and wisdom, we are asking God to give us the strength to make tough choices, and the guidance to know which path to take.
How do I ask God for discernment?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best way to ask God for discernment may vary depending on your specific situation.
However, some tips on how to ask God for discernment may include spending time in prayer, studying the Bible, and seeking wise counsel from other Christians. Additionally, it can be helpful to ask God to give you a clear understanding of His will for your life and to help you trust in His guidance.
Here are a few verses that may provide guidance as you seek God’s discernment:
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Psalm 32:8 – “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My loving eye on you.”
Isaiah 30:21 – “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'”
Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'”
If you are seeking God’s discernment in a specific situation, it can be helpful to write out your prayer to Him, asking for His guidance and wisdom. You may also find it helpful to journal your thoughts and reflections as you seek God’s will in your life. Additionally, spending time in nature or taking a break from technology can help clear your mind and allow you to focus on God’s voice.
Ultimately, the best way to ask God for discernment is to seek Him with a humble and open heart, trusting that He will guide you according to His will.
Long Prayers for Discernment and Wisdom
Oh Lord, how I need Your wisdom and discernment. Help me to always trust in You and not lean on my own understanding. I want to be a woman of prayer who seeks Your face continually. So often I make decisions based on my own desires or what others think is best for me, but I know that Your ways are higher than my ways and Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts.
I need Your wisdom to guide me in every area of my life – from the big decisions like what career to pursue or where to live to the smaller choices like how to spend my free time or what to wear each day. Help me to seek Your will in all things and to be obedient to what You reveal to me. Give me a discerning heart that can distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil.
I want to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, always walking in humility before You. I know that if I lack wisdom, I should ask for it from You, and that You will give it to me generously. I pray for the wisdom to know how to love others well – my family, friends, co-workers, and even strangers. Help me to see people the way that You see them, and to treat them with compassion, patience, and kindness. I also pray for the wisdom to know how to love myself well.
Help me to be gentle and forgiving with myself, and to extend the same grace to others that I so desperately need. Thank You for being a God who is rich in wisdom and discretion, and who gives us His wisdom liberally when we ask for it.
I praise You for Your faithfulness and goodness, and I thank You that I can always count on You to guide me in the path of righteousness. Amen.
Long Prayer for Discernment and Direction
Heavenly Father, I come before You today asking for Your guidance and direction. There are so many choices and decisions that I need to make, and I don’t know which way to turn. I know that You have a plan and purpose for my life, and I want to align myself with Your will.
Please give me wisdom and discernment as I seek Your face. Help me to be patient as I wait for Your leading, and to trust in Your timing. I know that Your ways are perfect and that Your plans for me are good. I want to follow hard after You and to live my life in a way that pleases and honors You. I also pray for the courage to say “no” to the things that are not part of Your perfect plan for me.
Help me to resist the temptation to take shortcuts or to settle for less than what You have in store for me. I know that Your plan is the best plan, and I want to follow it no matter where it leads me.
Thank You for giving me wisdom and direction. I praise You for being a good and faithful God who always keeps His promises. I trust in You and I know that You will never leave me or forsake me. Amen.
Long Prayer for Discernment in Relationships
Heavenly Father, I come before You today asking for Your wisdom and discernment in my relationships. There are so many people in my life, and I want to make sure that I am spending my time and energy on relationships that are truly meaningful.
Please help me to know how to love others well, and to invest my time wisely. I don’t want to spend my life chasing after things that don’t really matter, or pursuing relationships that will ultimately lead to heartache.
I want to be careful with my heart, and to guard my time and energy. Please give me the wisdom to know how to discern between good and bad relationships.
Help me to be quick to identify red flags, and slow to trust too easily. I want to be cautious without being paranoid, and wise without being cynical. I know that I need other people in my life, but I also know that not everyone is good for me.
I pray that You would give me the discernment to know who to trust and who to avoid. Help me to surround myself with people who are positive, loving, and supportive.
I want to be wise in my relationships, and I know that starts with seeking Your guidance and direction. Amen.
Long Prayer for Strength and Endurance
Heavenly Father, I come before You today asking for strength and endurance. I know that life is hard, and there are times when it feels like I can’t go on. I need Your help to make it through the difficult times. Please give me the strength to keep going when I feel like giving up. Help me to find hope in the midst of despair, and to press on even when I’m tired.
I know that You are with me, and that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness. I need Your help to make it through today. Tomorrow is uncertain, but I know that You are already there.
I don’t have to worry about what’s ahead, because I know that You will give me the strength I need for each new day. Thank You for being my rock and my fortress.
I praise You for being a God who is always faithful. Amen.
Long Prayer for Wisdom and Knowledge
Heavenly Father, I come before You today asking for wisdom and knowledge. I want to know You more, and to understand the things of Your kingdom.
I know that Your ways are higher than my ways, and that Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Please help me to grow in my knowledge of You. Give me a hunger for Your Word, and a desire to understand Your will. I want to be wise in the way I live, and to make choices that please You.
I know that I need Your help to do this. I also pray for knowledge about the things that are going on in the world around me. There is so much happening, and I don’t always know what to think or how to respond. I need Your wisdom to know what is true, and what is not.
I also need Your guidance to know how to best love and serve the people around me. I pray that You would open my eyes to see the things that are really important and help me to ignore the things that are not. I want to be wise and discerning, and I know that starts with seeking Your face. Amen.
Long Prayer for Protection
Heavenly Father, I come before You today asking for protection. There are so many dangers in the world, and I need Your help to keep me safe. I pray that You would surround me with Your angels and that You would protect me from all harm. Please help me to be careful and cautious in the things I do.
I don’t want to take unnecessary risks, and I want to avoid dangerous situations.
Help me to always put my safety first, and to not take foolish risks. I know that I can’t totally protect myself from everything, but I pray that You would give me Your peace. Help me to trust You even when things are scary, and to know that You are always with me. I praise You for being my strong tower and my refuge. I will trust in You, for I know that You will never leave me or forsake me. Amen.
Long Prayer for a Peaceful Heart
Heavenly Father, I come before You today asking for a peaceful heart. The world is full of turmoil and chaos, and I often find myself feeling anxious and stressed.
I need Your peace to calm my fears and to still my restless mind. Please help me to focus on You, and not be so easily distracted by the things going on around me. I want to keep my eyes on You and to trust in Your goodness and love.
I know that You are in control and that Your plans for me are always good. I pray that You would give me Your peace in the midst of the storm. Help me to trust You even when the waves are high, and to know that You will never let me drown. I praise You for being my ever-present help in times of trouble. Amen.
Long Prayer for Strength and Courage
Heavenly Father, I come before You today asking for strength and courage. I know that I can’t face everything on my own, and I need Your help to get through tough times. I want to be brave and courageous like You are, but I know that I can’t do it without You.
Please help me to trust in You, and not be afraid. I know that You are with me and that You will never leave me or forsake me. I will trust in Your power and strength, and not in my own.I also pray for courage to face the things that are holding me back.
I know that I can’t keep living in fear, and I need to face my demons head-on. Help me to be brave and courageous, and do not back down from a challenge.
I know that You are with me and that together we can overcome anything. Amen.
Short prayers that you can use when you are seeking guidance and wisdom from God
“Heavenly Father, I need Your help. I am feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about the future. I need Your wisdom and discernment to know what to do.
Please give me the wisdom to see the situation clearly and to make the best decision possible. I trust in Your perfect guidance.
I surrender my will to You and trust that You will lead me according to Your will. Amen.”
“Dear God, I am feeling lost right now and I need Your help. I am facing a difficult decision and I don’t know which way to go.
Please give me wisdom and discernment so that I can make the best choice possible. Help me to trust in You and to follow Your will for my life.
I also ask that You would give me the courage to follow Your guidance, even when it is hard. Thank You for Your love and care for me. Amen.”
What is the difference between wisdom and discernment?
There are many ways to define wisdom and discernment, but at their core, wisdom is the ability to see things as they truly are, while discernment is the ability to judge between different options. In other words, wisdom is a kind of understanding, while discernment is a kind of judgment.
One way to think of the difference between wisdom and discernment is that wisdom is about understanding the nature of things, while discernment is about making choices between different options. For example, someone who has wisdom might be able to see the underlying causes of a problem, while someone with discernment might be able to choose the best solution from a range of different options.
Discernment is sometimes thought of as a kind of wisdom, but it’s actually a separate quality.
Discernment is the ability to judge between different options, while wisdom is the ability to see things as they truly are.
While wisdom and discernment are both important qualities, they’re not the same thing. Wisdom is about understanding, while discernment is about making choices.