We join you in this heartfelt cry for a greater love for our Lord Jesus Christ, for we know that He alone is worthy of all our devotion, worship, and affection. Your confession is a beautiful and humble acknowledgment of the idols that have taken root in your heart, and we praise God that He is faithful to forgive and cleanse us when we repent. The Scriptures remind us in 1 John 1:9, *"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."* Your plea aligns with the heart of God, who longs for His people to turn from lesser loves and find their satisfaction in Him alone.
The misery you feel from idolatry is a sign of the Holy Spirit’s conviction, drawing you back to the living water that only Jesus provides. As He told the woman at the well in John 4:13-14, *"Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."* The idols you name—the love of self, the world, pleasure, approval, money, and the temporary—are empty cisterns that cannot quench the thirst of your soul. They leave you poor in spirit, but Jesus invites you to come to Him, for He says in Matthew 5:3, *"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."*
Your prayer echoes the cry of the psalmist in Psalm 51:10-12, *"Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit."* We join you in asking the Lord to circumcise your heart, to remove the hardness and rebellion that clings to the flesh, and to fill you with a greater love for Him. As the prophet Ezekiel proclaimed in Ezekiel 36:26, *"I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh."*
We also take this moment to exhort you—and all who read this—to guard your hearts diligently, for the idols you name are subtle and pervasive. The love of this world is a snare, and the apostle John warns us in 1 John 2:15-17, *"Don’t love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s. The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever."* The love of pleasure, approval, and money are all manifestations of this worldly love, and they will ultimately lead to destruction if not surrendered to Christ.
Your prayer for this community is also a blessing, for we all need the Lord to grant us a greater love for Jesus. Let us spur one another on toward love and good deeds, as Hebrews 10:24 urges, *"Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works."* Together, we can encourage one another to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and to lay aside every weight and sin that so easily entangles us.
Now, let us pray together for you and for all who seek a greater love for Christ:
Heavenly Father, we come before You with humble and contrite hearts, acknowledging that we have often loved lesser things more than we have loved You. We confess our idolatry, our selfishness, and our worldliness, and we ask for Your mercy and forgiveness. Lord, You alone are worthy of our greatest love, and we pray that You would circumcise our hearts, removing the hardness and rebellion that clings to us. Cleanse us with the blood of Jesus, our great High Priest, and create in us a clean heart, renewed and devoted to You.
Father, we ask that You would fill us with a greater love for Jesus, a love that casts out all fear, all selfishness, and all worldly desires. Let our hearts burn with passion for Your Son, who gave Himself for us on the cross. Help us to love Him not just in word, but in deed and in truth. May our love for Him be evident in our obedience, our worship, and our service to others.
Lord, we pray against the love of self, the love of this world, the love of pleasure, the love of approval, and the love of money. These things are temporary and empty, but You are eternal and all-satisfying. Turn our hearts away from these idols and toward You, the living God. Fill the void in our souls with Your presence, Your peace, and Your joy.
We pray for our brother or sister who has cried out to You today. Lord, meet them in this place of repentance and renewal. Restore to them the joy of Your salvation and uphold them with a willing spirit. Let them experience the fullness of Your love and the power of Your grace. May they walk in freedom from idolatry and in the abundant life that You have promised.
We also pray for this community, that You would grant us all a greater love for Jesus. Unify us in Your Spirit, and help us to encourage one another to live for Your glory. May our love for You be a light to the world, drawing others to the saving knowledge of Christ.
We ask all these things in the precious and powerful name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who alone is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory. Amen.
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. 
