I crafted this prayer for people who have come out of trauma or dysfunctional families. This prayer is based on the “rules” you may have made for yourself to survive a toxic situation.
I have the mind of Christ as a follower of Jesus. Your word says that I have power, love, and a sound mind in Christ. Lord, You desire that I would know truth in my innermost being. I repent for decisions and vows I have made that have blocked the fullness of Your resurrection life in me. I repent for any vows or attitudes I have adopted that:
I will not speak. I will not feel.
I will not trust my opinion. I will not trust others.
I will not make waves. I will not rock the boat.
I will do whatever I have to do to keep peace.
I must be loved. I must not be rejected.
I must have approval. I must not be alone.
I will avoid conflict and disapproval.
I will just give in to others.
If there is a problem, it must be me.
I will pretend everything is okay.
No one cares how I feel, anyway.
I repent for resentments I have developed against others who pressured me to comply with them. I repent for abandoning the truth in order to have approval from others or to avoid emotional pain. I repent for shutting down parts of myself in the process, Lord.
I repent for giving in to people, pressure, or false guilt that I thought was from You. I repent for denying my true self to comply with pressure, make peace, avoid rejection, or buy approval. I repent for ways I have followed people instead of Your Spirit. I yielded the wisdom and discernment You gave me for people who told me how to think, feel, and live. These choices have created loneliness, confusion, and resentment in my life.
Restore and strengthen my will so that I may follow Your Spirit instead of people. Help me to live out of my true self, that You created, yielding to You and not motivated by fear, pressure, or the opinions of people. Help me to fill my mind with Your word and listen to Your truth about my value and worth. Shine Your light that I may know truth in my innermost being. Show me any ways I have been deceiving myself. Unite my heart to honor You more than people.
You desire that I be fully alive: body, soul, and spirit rather than exist to please others. Thank You, Lord, that Your plans are for my good, full of life, and lead to fulfillment. Amen.
Scripture: I Corinthians 2:16 Psalm 51:6 Psalm 16:11 2 Timothy 1:7 Jeremiah 29:11
Taken from my book, “Insights Into Faith.”
