From Ed Welch's excellent book, Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave, p. 130 -
Questions that reveal the heart:
1. What do you truly want?
2. What is your purpose in life?
3. What or whom do you really love?
4. When do you get most sad or depressed?
5. When do you get hopeless?
6. What do you get most excited about? What brings you the greatest pleasure?
7. What is your dream?
8. How would you like to be remembered?
9. What do you especially want to avoid?
Prayer in response to these questions:
Lord, help! My heart is so filled with self-absorption and the strong desire to be liked and respected by others. My hopes, dreams, fears, pleasures and frustrations are so bound up with what I want and with what people think of me. I cannot live for you and live to please people. I cannot serve your kingdom and my own reputation and advancement in the world. I cannot worship you with one eye always fixed on what other people think of me. Break down these idols of vanity, self-concern, fear of man and a deep desire for respect. Replace these foolish things with a powerful, transforming vision of Your kingdom, Your glory, Your grace, Your goodness. Bow my heart in the light of Your amazing holiness and patient compassion. Fill my soul with the light of Your love, that I may love You and love others. You are my only hope, Lord Jesus, Amen.
Another prayer, from an anonymous Puritan:
My God, I feel it is heaven to please You,
and to be what You would have me be.
O that I were holy as You art holy,
pure as Christ is pure,
perfect as Your Spirit is perfect!
These, I feel, are the best commands in Your Book,
and shall I break them? must I break them?
am I under such a necessity as long as I live here?
Woe, woe is me that I am a sinner,
that I grieve this blessed God,
who is infinite in goodness and grace!
O if He would punish me for my sins,
it would not wound my heart so deep to offend Him;
But though I sin continually,
He continually repeats His kindness to me.
At times I feel I could bear any suffering,
but how can I dishonour this glorious God?
What shall I do to glorify and worship this best of beings?
O that I could consecrate my soul and body to His service,
without restraint, for ever!
O that I could give myself up to Him,
so as never more to attempt to be my own!
or have any will or affections that are not perfectly
conformed to His will and His love!
Questions that reveal the heart:
1. What do you truly want?
2. What is your purpose in life?
3. What or whom do you really love?
4. When do you get most sad or depressed?
5. When do you get hopeless?
6. What do you get most excited about? What brings you the greatest pleasure?
7. What is your dream?
8. How would you like to be remembered?
9. What do you especially want to avoid?
Prayer in response to these questions:
Lord, help! My heart is so filled with self-absorption and the strong desire to be liked and respected by others. My hopes, dreams, fears, pleasures and frustrations are so bound up with what I want and with what people think of me. I cannot live for you and live to please people. I cannot serve your kingdom and my own reputation and advancement in the world. I cannot worship you with one eye always fixed on what other people think of me. Break down these idols of vanity, self-concern, fear of man and a deep desire for respect. Replace these foolish things with a powerful, transforming vision of Your kingdom, Your glory, Your grace, Your goodness. Bow my heart in the light of Your amazing holiness and patient compassion. Fill my soul with the light of Your love, that I may love You and love others. You are my only hope, Lord Jesus, Amen.
Another prayer, from an anonymous Puritan:
My God, I feel it is heaven to please You,
and to be what You would have me be.
O that I were holy as You art holy,
pure as Christ is pure,
perfect as Your Spirit is perfect!
These, I feel, are the best commands in Your Book,
and shall I break them? must I break them?
am I under such a necessity as long as I live here?
Woe, woe is me that I am a sinner,
that I grieve this blessed God,
who is infinite in goodness and grace!
O if He would punish me for my sins,
it would not wound my heart so deep to offend Him;
But though I sin continually,
He continually repeats His kindness to me.
At times I feel I could bear any suffering,
but how can I dishonour this glorious God?
What shall I do to glorify and worship this best of beings?
O that I could consecrate my soul and body to His service,
without restraint, for ever!
O that I could give myself up to Him,
so as never more to attempt to be my own!
or have any will or affections that are not perfectly
conformed to His will and His love!
~Pastor Jason A. Van Bemmel - the Pilgrim Pastor
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