Friday - Don't Lose Heart (Love)

Aug 14, 2026

Welcome to Daily Prayer. We're continuing our series called "Don't Lose Heart," focused on cultivating a life of faith, hope, and love. Today, we turn our attention to 1 Corinthians 13 and the kind of love God is forming in us.

As we begin our time together, let's take a few deep breaths and quiet our hearts and minds before the Lord.

Lord, I'm here again to be with you. I come to you to be restored. I want your Word to dwell richly in me. I want your love to dwell richly in me. So I give you my heart, my mind, and my strength. I give you all my relationships. Lord, I give everyone and everything to you. Your love endures forever.

A Scripture reading from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

A Prayer of Adoration:

Father, I worship You that You know me completely and love me. You have been so patient with me. You've been so good to me. You've not abandoned me, You've forgiven me. I rejoice that You do not change. You are good, You'll always be good. You're great, you're good, and for that, I adore you.

A Prayer of Confession:

Lord, you know how often I am impatient, how often my words are not kind. You know how often I resist when love is costly. I want my way, and I'm embarrassed by how often I keep a record of wrongs, how often I've not rejoiced with the truth, I've been cynical, I've been doubtful.

Forgive me for my pride and fear. Lord, forgive me and renew a right spirit within me.

A Prayer of Trust:

Father, I trust your love. I trust that I don't have to earn it, I don't have to prove myself or protect myself from you. So today I say, I trust you with the people who are difficult to love. I trust you with the places where I've been wounded. I trust you with all the things that I can't fix or control. And I turn to you to heal my pain and restore my vision.

A Prayer of Intercession:

Father, make us a people known for our love. Make us a humble and gentle community. Would you cultivate compassion in us for those who are hurting. Lord, give us eyes to see. Give us the humility to apologize when we've caused pain. Give us the courage to forgive those who've wounded us and to stand for what's true and right, to love what's good. Lord, may our homes and our small groups and our church be a community and a place and a people where others can experience your generous and persevering love.

Help us to bear with one another, Lord. Give us faith to believe the best, to hope for and rejoice in your redeeming grace in people's lives. We don't want to be like the older brother, we want to rejoice when there's redemption, we want to celebrate the good, the true, your life-giving grace and forgiveness.

Inspire us, O Spirit. Help us, we pray.

A moment of reflection:

Lord, what aspect of love would you have me focus on in this season? Would you show me?

As we listen to the passage again, let's listen for a word or phrase that the Holy Spirit may want to impress on your heart today.

A Closing Prayer:

Lord, empower us and teach us to love. I thank you for your Word, I thank you for Your Spirit, I thank you for your people. Teach us to protect, to trust, to hope, and to persevere. Lord, use us today to make your love visible to someone who needs it.

In the name of Jesus,

Amen.

As we finish this week, I want to encourage you to choose one person today and intentionally love them in a specific, practical way. Let's be a blessing together.

May the Lord be with you.