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Teens Prayer for January 13th

A short, Scripture-shaped teens prayer for an ordinary moment of Christian faith.

The prayer

A prayer to pray now

Father, I am supposed to forgive someone, and I do not want to. Not in the polite, "I am over it" way. I really do not want to. My willingness feels broken before it even starts. I keep trying to be okay, and then the memory comes back, and I am back at the beginning. I am not going to wait until I feel forgiving before I act like it. That could take years, and I do not have years to spare. Today I will not say the thing I usually say about them. I will not check their account, looking for proof that they are doing badly. I will pray one sentence for them and mean it, even if just barely. That is all I have right now. Let my actions go ahead of my feelings. Let doing the right thing teach my heart. You do not need me to feel clean before I start moving. Amen.

How to pray it

  1. Read it slowly. Move through this prayer one line at a time, out loud if you can, letting each phrase land before the next.
  2. Make it personal. Pause where a line meets your day and name the person, fear, or hope it touches before God.
  3. Carry it with you. Keep one sentence with you — on your phone or in your pocket — and return to it when the day gets loud.

Verses to pray

Pray these slowly, one line at a time. Scripture quoted from a public-domain translation.

  1. For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing what is right than for doing evil.
    1 Peter 3:17

Questions about this prayer

When should I pray teens prayer for january 13th?

Pray it whenever the words fit your moment — at the start of the day, in a hard stretch, or when you simply want to turn toward God.

Which Bible verses anchor this prayer?

This prayer is anchored in 1 Peter 3:17. The "Verses to pray" section above quotes them in full.

Can I save or share this prayer?

Yes. Use the Copy prayer button to copy the words, or open the Chosen Portion app to keep a daily prayer, devotional, and Scripture with you.