A prayer of confession that asks God for mercy and for the grace to release a grudge. It rests on the promise of 1 John 1:9, that God forgives those who confess to him.
Father, I come to you with nothing hidden. You have seen what I did, and you heard the words I said, and you know the thoughts I have kept to myself. I am done making excuses for them. I confess my sin to you now, plainly and by name, because your Word says that is where cleansing begins.
Your Word promises that if we confess our sins, you are faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I am standing on that promise today. I do not deserve your mercy, and I am not pretending that I do. I am simply asking for it, because you offered it first.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Wash away the guilt I have been carrying and the shame that follows me into quiet moments. Where I have grown comfortable with my sin, make me uncomfortable again. Teach me to love what you love.
Lord, you also know the person I have not forgiven. You know their name and what they did, and you know how long I have held onto it. I have replayed it and rehearsed it and fed it. I do not want to carry it anymore. Give me the grace to let it go.
So I release them to you now. I give up my claim to repayment and my right to keep the record. You forgave me a debt far greater than the one I am owed. Soften my heart toward this person, and where I cannot yet mean these words, keep working in me until I can.
Thank you, Father, that you remove our sins as far as the east is from the west. Let me walk out of this prayer forgiven and forgiving. When the old accusation returns, remind me that you have already settled it. Keep my heart tender, quick to confess and quick to release, all my days.
Amen.
Scripture
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:12Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Colossians 3:13Guidance
Tell God what you did in ordinary words. He already knows, and naming the sin yourself is the honesty that confession asks of you. Leave out the excuses.
Read 1 John 1:9 slowly, out loud if you can. God ties forgiveness to confession, and he keeps his word. Thank him for mercy before you feel it.
Bring the one who hurt you before God by name. Say what happened without polishing it. Ask God to do in your heart what you cannot do on your own.
Tell God you are giving up the right to collect on the wrong. Ask him to bless that person. Repeat this step whenever the grudge tries to come back.
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