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Prayers for Courage

3 traditional prayers for courage, and 18 passages from the Bible to pray with them. Choose one, read it aloud, or print it as a card to keep.

Prayers

At the Threshold of Another Year

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, God of time, God of eternity, with whom a thousand years are as one day and one day as a thousand years; we the children of a day would draw near to thee as we stand at the threshold of another year and seek thy guidance. Teach us so to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Help us to realize the infinite significance of life's opportunities. Give us calm minds, and courageous hearts, and contented spirits as we go forward to face the unknown experiences of the New Year. May we have in our own lives a great renewal; so that old duties may become fresh, and old affections ardent, and old aspirations filled with new power, and old faith abundantly satisfying. And above all, teach us to walk this year in trustful fellowship with thee. We ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From Prayers for Special Days and Occasions (1930)

Prayers to St John the Baptist

O glorious St John the Baptist, of those born of women the greatest of prophets; thou, though sanctified from thy mother's womb and most innocent, didst nevertheless will to retire into the desert, there to practise austerities and penance; obtain for us from our Lord the grace to be detached, at least in the affections of our hearts, from all earthly treasure, and to practise Christian mortification with interior recollection and a spirit of holy prayer.

O most zealous Apostle, who, without working any miracle on others, but solely by the example of thy life of penance and the power of thy words, didst draw after thee crowds, in order to prepare them to worthily receive the Messiah, and listen to his heavenly teaching; grant that it may be given to us also, by the example of a holy life and the practice of good works, to lead many souls to God.

O unconquered martyr, who for the honour of God and the salvation of souls, didst, with heroic constancy, and at the cost of life itself, withstand the impious Herod, reproving him openly for his bad and dissolute life; obtain for us a brave and generous heart, so that, overcoming all human respect, we may boldly profess our faith, and follow the teaching of our divine master Jesus Christ.

℣.Pray for us, St John the Baptist.℟.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

From the Raccolta (1910)

Also on Prayer to St John

Collect of St John the Baptist

Almighty God, by whose providence thy servant John Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour by preaching repentance; Make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From the Book of Common Prayer (1928)

Also on Prayer to St John

Bible verses

Psalm 46

1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 4There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. 5God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. 6The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. 7The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 8Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. 9He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. 10Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 11The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Psalm 46, King James Version

Psalm 27

1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 3Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. 4One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. 5For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. 7Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 8When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. 9Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. 11Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. 12Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. 13I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Psalm 27, King James Version

They That Wait upon the Lord

28Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 29He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31, King James Version

Fear Thou Not, for I Am with Thee

10Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Isaiah 41:10, King James Version

When Thou Passest Through the Waters

1But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

Isaiah 43:1-3, King James Version

Be Strong and of a Good Courage

9Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:9, King James Version

He Will Not Fail Thee

8And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Deuteronomy 31:8, King James Version

I Can Do All Things Through Christ

13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:13, King James Version

I Will Never Leave Thee

5Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Hebrews 13:5-6, King James Version

A Spirit of Power, and of Love, and of a Sound Mind

7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7, King James Version

Wait on the Lord

14Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Psalm 27:14, King James Version

In the Day When I Cried Thou Answeredst Me

3In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

Psalm 138:3, King James Version

Be of Good Courage

24Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Psalm 31:24, King James Version

Quit You Like Men, Be Strong

13Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 14Let all your things be done with charity.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14, King James Version

Strengthen Ye the Weak Hands

3Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

Isaiah 35:3-4, King James Version

Thou, O Lord, Art a Shield for Me

3But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.

Psalm 3:3-5, King James Version

Also on Night Prayers

The Battle Is Not Yours, but God's

15And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 17Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

2 Chronicles 20:15-17, King James Version

The Lord Your God Is He That Goeth with You

3And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; 4For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

Deuteronomy 20:3-4, King James Version

Questions

Which prayer for courage should I start with?

Start with "At the Threshold of Another Year" and pray it each day, with Psalm 46 (Psalm 46) to read alongside it.

Are these Catholic or Protestant prayers?

Both. They come from Catholic prayer books, the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, Protestant and Lutheran collections and the Bible. Most can be prayed by any Christian.

Can I change the words to fit my situation?

Yes. Where a prayer says "N." or "thy servant", put in the name of the person you are praying for.

Why are the prayers in old-fashioned English?

They keep the words of the older prayer books and the King James Bible, the words generations have prayed. "Thee" and "thou" are the old familiar forms of "you".