Do you wonder if a part of your heart may not be working as it should? Perhaps you know someone who has grown cold or turned from God. God’s heart is already on fire for you, His heart is already turned toward you. He is already chasing after you. It is His will for our hearts to be fully alive, refreshed and anew.
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What causes a heart to become hardened? What causes a heart to grow cold? What causes us to pull our hearts away from the warmth of our Heavenly Father’s love, from the safety of living in His light?
“For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’” (Matthew 13:15 ESV)
Here is the good news: there is hope for a hardened heart. We have a Heavenly Father who longs for His children to turn their hearts back toward Him. His heart is redemption. He is the kind of Father who simply wants to dwell with His beloved children.
“And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father.’” (Galatians 4:6 NLT)
It is in the place of living in His loving, revealing light, that a heart can begin to come back to life.
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)
Do you wonder if a part of your heart may not be working as it should? Perhaps you know someone who has grown cold or turned from God. God’s heart is already on fire for you, His heart is already turned toward you. He is already chasing after you. It is His will for our hearts to be fully alive, refreshed and anew.
15 Prayers to Soften a Hardened Heart
1. Father, I turn my heart back to You. I invite You to search me and know my heart.
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” (Psalm 139:24 NIV)
2. Lord, even if I don’t feel thankfulness in my heart right now, I choose to thank You. I choose to praise You, for You are worthy of all praise. I declare that as Your child, I am blessed. I pray that You will give me a heart that is truly able to be thankful.
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV)
3. Holy Spirit, will you reveal to me, any offensive way in me? I repent of ___________. Forgive me, Lord. I turn from my sinful ways and I ask for Your help.
“See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:24 NIV)
4. Father, will You purify my heart and begin to renew my spirit? I want to be able to see You!
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10 ESV)
“God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8 NLT)
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Pray for a Tender Heart That Is Unafraid to Love
5. Lord, will You make me tenderhearted and unafraid to love? Father, I receive Your love. I ask Father that I can experience Your love in such a way that my heart will be able to fully love the way You have called me to love.
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32 ESV)
6. God, if there is any area of unforgiveness in my life, will You show me? Help me to forgive as You have forgiven me.
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13 NIV)
7. Lord, I pray that You’ll cultivate the ground of my heart, plow up the hard ground and prepare the soil of my heart for Your righteousness. Prepare my heart for what You have for my life.
“I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’” (Hosea 10:12 NLT)
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Pray for God’s Love to Mend What Needs Mending
8. Father, You are trustworthy. I can trust You with my whole heart, for You are the keeper and protector of my heart. Fill my heart with joy!
“The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” (Psalm 28:7 NLT)
9. Father, I invite You to shine Your revealing light into my heart. You are a safe place. Reveal to me the places in my heart that need mending. You do everything out of an unconditional, everlasting love, I trust that I am safe in Your arms.
“For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.” (Psalm 18:28 ESV)
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 ESV)
“His huge outstretched arms protect you - under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm.” (Psalm 91:4 TPT)
10. “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Psalm 143:10 NASB)
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Trust God with Your Heart – So You Can Be Whole and Healed
11. Lord, if there is any root of bitterness in my heart, will You pull up that root?
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV)
12. Father, will You make my heart compassionate like Yours? Will You make my heart more like Jesus’ heart?
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV)
13. God, in Your Word, You say that because of what Jesus did for me, it is possible for me to put on the righteousness of Christ. Your Word is truth, no matter how I may feel. I put on the righteousness of Christ, in faith.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12 NIV)
14. Father, I trust You with my heart. I will run to You when I am hurt, and when I am wounded –You truly know what my heart needs to be whole and healed.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3 ESV)
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“Never Let the Fire in Your Heart Go Out”
15. Father, I know that some heart changes take a process. Some heart changes take time. Will You help me to endure this process with You, however long it might take? God, I boldly and bravely pray, that You will set my heart on fire for You! I may not understand exactly what I am praying for right now, but I trust You, and I want my heart to burn for You for all the days of my life!
“Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord. When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful.” (Romans 12:11-13 NIRV)
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6 ESV)
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This article is part of our prayer resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.
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