A Prayer for Stronger Faith

Lukewarm faith convinces us our salvation is all that matters, but God has a deeper purpose for all of us if we're willing to surrender and commit to sanctification and holiness.

As we near the vote in November, I know our stomachs are in knots and our hearts are weary. Underneath all the vitriolic fights and abysmal statements about other’s faith because of who they’re voting for is a fight for our faith to be strong, fierce, and a guiding force in our lives and our country’s legal direction.

What comes out of that desire though tends to be either a passion for voting that supersedes Scriptural backing or a lack of desire to give any input on the premise that voting is not our calling in life or won’t change anything.

If any one thing is caught in your mind after this political series ends in a couple of weeks, I hope it’s that where our faith stands and how we think about God and God’s people matters more than how we vote (though they’re not always as disconnected as we think).

While lukewarm as a political stance does not always mean you are lukewarm in your faith, I do want us to be deeply concerned about lukewarm faith in ourselves, our loved ones, our cities, churches, and ultimately our country as a whole—not for the outcome of politics to become more Christ-like, but for the outcome of our individual souls to be more Christlike every day.

This is my prayer for each of us as we move closer and closer to that Tuesday in November.

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Lord of All,

You know our hearts, no matter who we vote for. You see our thoughts as we grapple with the decision that weighs so heavily on our minds. We don’t take voting lightly because of what it could mean for our country, but I pray that we would take our faith in You more seriously.

God, if I am showing a lukewarm faith, I pray You bring me to my knees and show me the gaps in my trust. I want to look more like You, be more on fire for You than ever before, and be committed to a way of life that You would deem holy, righteous, and glorifying to You alone.

Snuff out any insecurities in me that have been holding my faith back. Silence any fears that have quieted my excitement for Your goodness. Surround me with people who will draw out my faith so I can be Your witness.

May I be more of a witness to You, God, than to my political affiliation.

I trust that You go before us and will guide us into Your will. While I may have my own expectations and desires about what would be the best outcome for this political race, God, I do pray “Your will be done” just as Jesus did in the garden.

May this political season be the very thing that strengthens our faith, God. May our dependence on You, no matter the outcome, drive us to seek Your face more and desire to honor You more. May we actually be dependent on You more than we are dependent on the outcome of this election.

Even if not… Even if the outcome is not what we think would be most honoring to You, God, will You remind me and my friends, family, and faith community, that You are still sovereign?

Strengthen our hearts with peace in the possibility of an undesirable outcome that we would be focused on Your reign above all else.

We know you work all things together for good, and we’re believing that truth today and over the next few weeks, months, and years. For our country, our states, our cities, our churches, our homes, and our hearts.

For Your glory, forever. Amen.