Prayer of Confession

God has called us to confess our sin, and we do so in prayer—not out of fear but because we already know that God is gracious and will pardon us. As a body of believers, we recognize our unity in that we confess not just our own sin, but the sin of others in our community as well as the sinful systems of which we are a part.

Featured Prayer of Confession Resources

Painting which depicts the Father, Son and Spirit

"O Triune God"—Prayer of Confession

Glorify Trinity

Prayer of ConfessionOur Father, forgive us for downsizing you in our minds—for thinking small thoughts of you, and for ignoring your immensity and greatness. Lord Jesus, forgive us when we forget that you rule the nations and our small lives. Holy Spirit, we offend you in minimizing your power and squandering your gifts. O triune God,We confess that our blindness to your gloryhas resulted in shallow confession, tepid conviction, and only mild repentance. Have mercy upon us. In Jesus' name, Amen.Revised Common LectionaryYears A, B, C: Season after Pentecost—Trinity Sunday

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"How Easily My Devotion Dies"—Prayer of Confession: For a Failure to Love God

Devotion Love for God

Prayer of ConfessionThere are times I think I love you well, O God. But upon hearing your call to love you with all my heart, and all my mind, and all my strength, I confess that my love for you is a diluted love, made insipid and flat by lesser loyalties and a divided heart. My love seems pure only for brief moments; soon my affections are drawn away. How easily my devotion dies. Forgive me; in deep mercy, spare me despite my lost first love for you; in grace, rekindle my love for you by seeing anew Jesus' love for me. Amen.Revised Common LectionaryYear A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 25 (30)Year B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 26 (31)Year C: Season after Pentecost—Proper 10 (15)

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"How Easily We Are Seduced"—Prayer of Confession: For Loving the World More than God

Ambition Seduction

Prayer of ConfessionLord, in your mercy hear our prayer. We confess that it is all too easy for us to sacrifice our convictions for convenience, your standards for status, your principles for promotion, your absolutes for our ambition, our souls for shallow and unsatisfying success. How easily we are seduced by power, prestige, pleasure, or possessions—seduced into violating our integrity or harming our fellowship with you. From earth's fullest bliss we turn to you again, unfulfilled. Forgive us our half-hearted devotion and our double-minded spirit. In the name of him who refused to save himself we pray. Amen.

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