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Health experts have said for years that the first thing you eat each day is incredibly important. The first nutrients your body gets as you break your fast can affect your energy, your mood, your alertness. Now, if it’s important for your body that you eat something nutritious as you start your day, it must be equally as important, if not more so, for your spirit to make sure you start your day well with prayer and God’s Word. Here are a five prayer Bible verses to help you get a spiritually healthy start to your day.
A Prayer Bible Verse from Jesus
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) — “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”
Jesus gave all of us a simple structure for praying. It doesn’t have to be fancy, eloquently said, or beautifully embellished. It just has to be earnestly from your heart to God. Praying the Lord’s prayer is a lovely way to connect with the Father through the words of His Son and prepare our hearts and minds for the day ahead of us.
Prayer for a Fresh Start
Psalm 51:8-12 (ESV) — “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”
Though you can start anew at any point in the day, the start of your day can often feel like a clean slate. And so it can be a wonderful time to ask God to renew a right spirit within you, bring you closer to Him, and create in you a clean heart ready to begin again. Start your day with joy and gladness, rejoicing even in the hardships that inevitably come or maybe they already exist. Giving it all up to God is a good first step in walking that day with Christ.
A Prayer of Acknowledgement of God’s Goodness
Psalm 23 (ESV) — “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Our God is good all the time. When trials come upon us and life feels dark or overwhelming, God brings us to those quiet, tranquil places where our hearts can find stillness and rest. His guidance brings comfort, even when we may not understand where He is leading us. The Lord wants to shower us with goodness and mercy. So every morning we place our trust in Him. We trust Him that even when we walk through the valley of death, we will not fear what is to come. We know that whatever it is, it will be for our good and His glory.
A Prayer Bible Verse for God’s Will to be Done
Matthew 26:39 (ESV) — “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’”
Jesus’s prayer before He willingly takes our burdens upon Himself and dies so we don’t have to, is so powerful. Though He wants to save us because He loves us so much, He still asks God to take away His suffering. Yet here is where we can all follow Jesus’ lead—He still ultimately wants God the Father’s will to be done, not His own.
Whether it’s something major or minor we want for ourselves or others, we can freely ask God for that. But we also must humbly recognize that it’s God’s will that is to be done and that God’s will is good. We can ask, but it is God’s will that determines what is right. It’s always helpful to have a reminder of that as we start every day.
A Prayer of Remembrance
Psalm 77:10-15 (ESV) — “Then I said, ‘I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.’”
This prayer came from Asaph, one of King David’s musicians, when he was deeply distressed after a long, painful, heart-felt lament to the Lord. Yet here we see him, after voicing all of his pain, recognizing the things the Lord has done before. It can be so easy to get caught up in life’s trials, to feel overwhelmed and like God no longer cares or provides. It’s alright to voice these things to the Lord, to cry out to Him. But it is so important that we remember His goodness and His grace. Ponder His works and meditate on all He has done and provided for us.
There’s No Better Way to Start Your Day
What God is great like our God, indeed? What can measure up? Starting your day already burdened by the weight of whatever is going on in your life can be so dispiriting. So lift your eyes to Heaven, and have faith that the God who works wonders counts you among His people. He will redeem you as He redeems all things.
As you choose a prayer Bible verse to start your day, look at your heart, ask God to show you where you need to focus on and what you need to work on as you go about your day. Pray to Him with everything you have in you. What better way to start your day than talking with the Lord?
Here’s a short sample of a meditation I wrote for Abide about hope based on Colossians 1:12-14. Meditating on this passage is a great way to start your day.
Let Abide help you start your day with prayer Bible verses to meditate on. Our nearly 1500 daily meditations all exist to help you set your mind on God any time of day. Our 400+ sleep stories will be there when you go to bed to help you fully relax in God’s Word as you go to sleep. Download the app and start a premium subscription to unlock our entire library of content.
Morgan Reeves is a junior at the University of Central Florida where she is majoring in Creative Writing. She lives in Florida with her family and their two cats, Stella and Luna.
