Your Nightly Prayer: Evening Prayers for Christians

I’m pretty sure I made a few reasonable New Year’s resolutions last January. I’m quite certain I’ve forgotten what they are. Humans are great at brainstorming ideas and launching projects, but humans aren’t as great at perseverance, especially when exhaustion, boredom, or both get in the way. This New Year’s, whether you make resolutions or simply have big goals and dreams, I pray you find comfort in accepting that there is no pressure to start or end your year flawlessly. I pray you discover through trial and (plenty of) error that you will like yourself and God so much more when you accept your limitations. You will know the beauty of Perfection only when you recognize that those failings are the key to Christ’s power unlocking the fulfillment that no list or personal achievement ever could. TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE “My power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER Father,Thank you for choosing to be an intimate Savior, forever willing and thrilled to be our Perfection and sustain us despite our weaknesses. This New Year, may we seek your wisdom as we make our resolutions or begin new projects. May spiritual growth, not perfection, be our heart’s true desire.In your holy name, King Jesus,Amen. THREE THINGS TO PONDER UPON 1. What’s really driving your resolutions—grace or perfection? Examine whether your goals this year are rooted in spiritual growth or worldly approval. One path frees; the other enslaves. 2. Do you give yourself the grace God already has? God knows your weaknesses and never asked for perfection—only trust. What would change if you truly believed that? 3. Are you chasing Jesus or chasing performance?Jesus doesn’t demand flawless effort. He invites you to find strength by depending fully on Him. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Does God only work in the miraculous and the extraordinary? It can be easy to believe so. After all, that’s what we see in scripture, isn’t it? We see Moses confronted by a burning bush, Jonah swallowed by a big fish; Elizabeth miraculously pregnant, and the disciples witnessing majesty after majesty as they journey with Jesus. Clearly, when we get closer to God, we experience wonders beyond compare, right? But then why does our life of faith sometimes seem so ordinary? Do you ever wonder why you don't witness miracles on a regular basis? This is the truth: God meets you where you are, and in what you experience. God dwells in the normal and the routine. In the hum-drum places of life, you are invited to feast on daily bread and thereby meet the living God. TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE “Give us today our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11 YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER Precious Jesus,You are the living bread, the bread that I need to journey in faith. I thank you that your presence dwells with me in the intricate moments of my day. As complicated and turned around as my life can be at times, still, you are faithful. Lord, help me quiet myself so that I can notice the movement of the Spirit all around me. Turn my attention away from the grand and the miraculous and open my heart to the gift of your presence in this moment. Help me hear your voice as you speak about the things of my life: my daily tasks, demands, and obligations. Give me the boldness to share your gift of daily bread with others.This I pray in Jesus’ name.Amen. THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON 1. In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus asks us to pray for God’s will to be done before we pray for our daily bread. How does our prayer for God’s kingdom to come take precedence in our lives? 2. During the Exodus, Manna was given each day as a symbol of Israel’s trust in God’s provision. How can you express your trust that God will provide each day? 3. Daily bread denies a spirit of scarcity (i.e., we believe there will be enough) and a spirit of excess (i.e., we don’t hoard our bread). Do you believe that scarcity or excess is a bigger temptation today? Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sometimes we want change because we’re bored—but often we want it because life feels hard, confusing, or beyond our control. That’s where Israel stood at the Red Sea: water in front, an enemy behind, and no clear way forward. Moses’ call to “be still” wasn’t a suggestion to relax—it was an invitation to surrender. Stillness, in moments like these, means releasing what we can’t fix and trusting God to do what we cannot. You may not know when change will come, but you can know Who is with you in the waiting. The Lord sees the road, fights for you, and guides you step by step. TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” — Exodus 14:13 YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER Gracious Lord,I’m looking for change—answers, clarity, relief, direction. And if I’m honest, I’m tired of carrying what feels too heavy for me. Tonight, I hear Your Word: You will fight for me, and I need only to be still. So I quiet my striving and surrender what I cannot control. I place before You the places I feel trapped, the fears that chase me, and the “Red Sea” moments where I don’t know how to move forward. Open doors I cannot open. Bring healing I cannot produce. Give wisdom I cannot manufacture. Teach me what it means to stand firm—not in denial, but in trust. Help me to believe You are working even when I can’t yet see the way. And when You call me to move, give me courage to take the next faithful step. More than changed circumstances, Lord, I want a heart anchored in You. Shape my desires, align my will to Yours, and guide me in the path You’ve prepared.In Jesus’ name,Amen. THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON Where is my “Red Sea” right now?What situation feels impossible or stuck—where you need God to make a way? What does “be still” look like for me tonight?Is it releasing control, stopping the mental spirals, forgiving, asking for help, or simply praying one honest sentence? What is one next step of faith I can take?Like Israel stepping forward, what small act of obedience might God be inviting you into—one phone call, one apology, one decision, one prayer, one step? Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Although a New Year is usually celebrated with joyful expectation, for some, it brings an uncertainty of what might lie ahead in the coming year, especially if the last year brought sorrow, loss, and lack. Many of us have faced hardships this past year, unexpected, difficult to navigate, and might be feeling pretty beat up from life over the last year, still in recovery and restoration mode, looking ahead to the New Year. If so, it’s understandable that we are somewhat reluctant to start all over again when we’re still struggling from the year before. But as Christians, we don’t have to be fearful of facing uncertainty, because even if we don’t know what might lie ahead for us, our heavenly Father does know, and His word tells us that He is with us, leading us forward in this life. God tells us in Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” As well, God encourages us throughout the Bible to have faith in Him, to trust Him, because we don’t need to be fearful. He calls us to take on five traits when fear tries to overcome our faith. Listen to this episode to hear what those five traits are. TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” - Psalm 56:3 YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER Dear Father,As we look ahead to the New Year, we are holding on tight to Your righteous right hand, knowing that even though fear tries to tear apart our faith and away from Your hand, it is holding onto us. Strengthen us, dear Lord, to be courageous, sound-minded, unshakable, fearless, and most of all peaceful. Help us find comfort and confidence in knowing You’ve got a hold on us that cannot be broken. As we enter the days ahead, leading us into the uncertainty of a new year, we know that with You, our futures are certain.In Jesus’ name,Amen. THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON 1. If struggling with fear as we approach the New Year, look to the Bible for verses that help embolden your faith. Write them down and read daily, maybe carry them with you wherever you go on your phone to strengthen you when fear tries to knock you to your knees and drag you down. 2. Ask God to help you be courageous like David when faced with fear that seems as destructive and powerful as a bear, or a giant, or a mad King. During these fearful times, practice leaning on Him rather than giving in to fearful thoughts. 3. Find some Christian autobiographies to read, ones of individuals who relied on their faith in God over the fears they were facing in their lives. Read them to help encourage you in your own faith-over-fear battles. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Waiting is one of the hardest parts of life because most things take longer than we want them to. Maybe you’re waiting for a breakthrough, a healing, a restored relationship, a job, direction, or simply relief—and the delay is stretching your faith thin. The truth is, God works in both the sudden and the slow. Sometimes He answers quickly. Other times, He builds something deeper in us while we wait—patience, endurance, maturity, trust. And just because you don’t see movement doesn’t mean nothing is happening. Philippians 1:6 reminds us that God is not careless with unfinished things. He doesn’t begin work in you and then abandon the project. He is faithful. He is intentional. And He will carry His work forward until it is complete. So tonight, take comfort in this: your progress may feel slow, but God’s grip on your life is steady. Even in the delay, His grace is still active—and His timing is still good. TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” — Philippians 1:6 YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER Heavenly Father,Teach me to wait with confidence in You and Your love. When life slows down, and answers take longer than I hope, remind me You are still at work. You never delay out of neglect, but out of love and wisdom. Help me to rest in Your timing, knowing You finish what You start. Strengthen my patience and faith in every season so my waiting is infused with worship and my heart rests in Your grace.In Jesus’ name,Amen. THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON Remember God’s faithfulness before:What is one thing you once waited for that took longer than you wanted—but God eventually brought through? How does that story strengthen your faith today? Name the unfinished place:What are you waiting on right now that feels unresolved or heavy? Bring it to God honestly. You don’t have to pretend you’re fine. Ask for endurance, not just answers:How can you pray tonight for confidence in God’s timing? What would it look like to trust that He is working even when you can’t see progress? Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.