Resisting Temptations

Greetings,

      Another of William Barclay’s prayers, this one based on the Church of England collect for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany.

O God, who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: Grant to us such strength and protection, as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Romans 13:1-7                                                                     Matthew 8:23-34

O God, our Father, help us to resist the temptations which continually attack us.

Help us to resist the temptations which come from within and from our own natures:

      The temptation to laziness and to too much love of ease and comfort;

      The temptation to pride and self-conceit and to think of ourselves more highly

            than we ought;

      The temptation to put things off until it is too late ever to do them,

            and to refuse to face the unpleasant things,

            until it is too late to do anything about them:

                        Help us to resist these, O God.

      The temptation to despair, and to lose heart and hope;

      The temptation to lower our standards and to accept things as they are;

      The temptation to be resignedly content with life as it is and ourselves as we are:

                        Help us to resist these, O God.

      The temptation to let passion and desire have their way;

      The temptation to trade eternal happiness for the fleeting thrill

            of some seductive moment;

      The temptation to moodiness, to irritability, to bad temper;

      The temptation to criticism, to fault-finding, to thinking the worst of others:

                        Help us to resist these, O God.

Help us to resist the temptations which come to us from outside.

      Help us to say No to every voice which invites us to leave your way.

      Help us to resist every seduction which makes sin more attractive.

      Help us to walk through the world, and yet to keep our garments

            unspotted from the world.

Help us to be wise enough never to play with fire; never to flirt with temptation; never recklessly to put ourselves into a situation in which it is easy to go wrong; never unthinkingly to develop habits which provide an opportunity for sin.

Grant unto us that grace which will give us the strength and the purity ever to overcome evil and to do the right; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Yours & His,

DED