Praying for Holiness: 20 Prayers to Fight the Sins We Often Ignore
Inside: These 20 Scripture-shaped prayers help us bring the hidden struggles of the heart before the Lord and grow in holiness, one quiet step at a time. A place to start when you don’t know what to pray.
When someone kindly asks, “How can I be praying for you?” I’m often quick to think of my circumstances. A busy week. A health need. A family situation. And those are all important. But lately, the Lord has been gently showing me how rarely I ask others to pray for the most hidden parts of my life—my heart.
I want to grow in holiness. To love what God loves and hate what He hates. To be conformed more and more to the image of Christ. One of the resources the Lord used to open my eyes to these more hidden sins was Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. His book helped me see how easily I overlook things like pride, irritability, discontentment, and selfishness—sins that often go unnoticed but still grieve the heart of God.
And yet, so many of my prayer requests stop at the surface.
What if we prayed for the parts of us that no one else sees? What if we invited others to pray for those areas too?
What if we asked for help in battling a complaining spirit? Or in growing in patience? What if our prayer lives reflected a deeper hunger to be more like Christ, not just for life to get a little easier?
What if our prayer lives reflected a deeper hunger to be more like Christ, not just for life to get a little easier?This post is simply a collection of Scripture-shaped prayers that I have found helpful in my own walk with the Lord. They focus on the heart—on the inward struggles that often go unspoken. These are the kinds of things I want to bring before Him more often, and I hope they help you do the same.
Related Resource: 10 Great Books on Prayer
We don’t have to share these areas with everyone, but it’s wise to open up to a few trusted people in our lives—those who love us, walk with the Lord, and desire His best for us. Being honest with someone who cares for our soul can be a simple way the Lord uses to encourage growth and deepen our walk with Him.
I keep this list in my prayer journal and as a list in the PrayerMate app too.
If you are not sure how to answer when someone asks how they can pray for you, this might be a good place to begin.
Prayers to Grow in Holiness
1. A Prayer to Hate My Sin and Love Righteousness
Psalm 97:10, Romans 12:9
“Lord, I want to grow in holiness. I don’t want to just feel bad about the consequences of my sin—I want to truly hate the sin itself. Help me to see it clearly and call it what it is. Let me cling to what is good and right in Your eyes. Give me a heart that longs to obey You out of love, not from duty or a desire to earn Your favor.”
2. A Prayer for a Gentle and Quiet Spirit
1 Peter 3:4, Galatians 5:22–23
“Father, I desire to be marked by gentleness. One that trusts in You. When I am quick to speak or respond harshly, slow me down. Remind me that You are in control, not me. Help me to let go of my need to fix, control, or complain. Grant me, Lord, a quiet, trusting spirit that rests in You. I pray my words and responses would reflect Christ and that the tone of my home be one of grace and peace.”
3. A Prayer to Be Quick to Repent and Quick to Forgive
Psalm 51:10, Colossians 3:13
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. When I sin, help me run to You—not hide. Give me a soft heart toward others, especially when I’ve been wronged. Make me eager to forgive, as You have forgiven me.”
4. A Prayer for Joy in the Lord
Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 16:11
“Father, it’s easy for me to look for joy in the wrong places. Help me to find my joy in You, not in how things are going or how comfortable life feels. Fill my heart with gladness in Your presence, and remind me that lasting joy comes from knowing You.”
5. A Prayer for a Heart that Treasures the Word
Psalm 119:11, Matthew 4:4
“Father, I want to be a woman who treasures and hungers for your Word. Let it dwell in me richly. Don’t let me approach it as a checklist to just read and forget, but as the very bread of life. Shape my thoughts and emotions by what You’ve spoken. I pray your truth will always be my anchor and delight.”
6. A Prayer for Greater Self-Control
Titus 2:11–12, Galatians 5:22–23
“Lord, train me by Your grace to say no to ungodliness and worldly desires. Help me walk in self-control—with my words, my appetite, my emotions, and my time. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I don’t live by my own strength but byYours.”
7. A Prayer for a Heart of Gratitude
1 Thessalonians 5:18, Philippians 4:11–13
“Lord, grow in me a thankful heart in and through all circumstances. Even the hard ones. Help me not to grumble or complain, but to always give thanks and rejoice in Your goodness. Teach me to see Your hand in every moment and to remember that You are always enough.”
8. A Prayer to Guard My Tongue from Complaining
Philippians 2:14–15, Psalm 19:14
“Lord, forgive me for how quickly I grumble when things don’t go my way. Teach me to do all things without complaining or arguing so I might reflect Your light. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight today.”
9. A Prayer to Uproot a Critical Spirit
Ephesians 4:29, Luke 6:45
“Father, help me to see how often I’m quick to criticize and slow to build up. Purify the overflow of my heart, and let my words be seasoned with grace. Give me eyes to see the good in others and a heart that loves as You love.”
10. A Prayer for a Spirit of Encouragement
Hebrews 10:24–25, Ephesians 4:29
“Lord, help me to build others up with my words. Show me who needs encouragement today. Let my heart be ready to notice and speak life into the lives of those around me.”
11. A Prayer for Patience in the Small Moments
James 1:19–20, Galatians 6:9
“Father, in the interruptions and frustrations of today, grow my patience. Help me to be slow to speak, slow to anger, and quick to listen. Let me not grow weary in doing good, even when no one sees.”
12. A Prayer to Walk in the Spirit, Not the Flesh
Galatians 5:16–17, Romans 8:5–6
“Lord, I know the battle within me—between the flesh and the Spirit. Strengthen me to walk in the Spirit today. Let Your Word guide my thoughts and Your grace shape my responses. Set my mind on the things of the Spirit, that I might walk in life and peace.”
13. A Prayer to Be More Prayerful, Less Reactive
1 Thessalonians 5:17, Philippians 4:6–7
“Father, grow me into a woman who turns to You first—not just when things feel urgent, but in the ordinary and unseen moments too. Teach me to pray without ceasing. Help me not to react in fear or frustration, but to pause and pray.”
14. A Prayer for More Love Toward Difficult People
Matthew 5:44, Romans 12:18
“Lord, I confess that it’s not always easy to love people who are hard to be around. But You have called me to love even my enemies. Soften my heart. Help me to be patient and kind, and to truly want what is best for them in You.”
15. A Prayer Against Pride
James 4:6, Philippians 2:3
Father, I see how pride creeps in. Sometimes I want things done my way. Sometimes I care too much about how others see me. Please show me when I’m thinking more about myself than about You or others. I want to grow in humility and walk in a way that reflects Your grace in my life.
16. A Prayer to Confront Envy with Contentment
Proverbs 14:30, Hebrews 13:5
Lord, I don’t want to measure my life by what others have or how You’ve gifted them. But I can fall into that so easily. Comparison leaves me frustrated and restless, and it pulls my focus off of You. Please remind me of all You’ve provided. Help me to be grateful for where You have me and to celebrate the ways You are working in the lives of others too.”
17. A Prayer for Freedom from People-Pleasing
Galatians 1:10, Colossians 3:23
“Lord, I don’t want to live for the approval of people. I know how quickly I start worrying about how I’m being seen or what others might think. But if I’m walking in obedience to You, that’s what matters most. Help me to care more about pleasing You than trying to keep everyone else happy. Keep my heart at rest in You.”
18. A Prayer to Be Faithful in the Small, Unseen Things
Luke 16:10, Matthew 6:4
“Lord, I want to be faithful even when no one sees. Help me to serve joyfully in the hidden work of home and life. Let me remember that You see. And that’s enough.”
19. A Prayer for a Teachable Heart
Psalm 25:4–5, Proverbs 9:9–10
“Lord, give me a heart that is humble and ready to learn. When correction comes, help me not to respond with pride or defensiveness. I want to grow in wisdom and be shaped by Your truth, even when it is hard. Show me Your ways and lead me in Your truth, for You are the God of my salvation.”
20. A Prayer to Trust God More Than I Fear the Future
Isaiah 26:3, Matthew 6:34
“Father, I confess how quickly I worry about things I can’t control. Quiet my heart. Fix my gaze on You. Help me to walk by faith today and entrust tomorrow to You.”
Final Thoughts
Sanctification is a slow and beautiful work of grace. These kinds of prayers help us stay in the process by looking honestly at our sin, leaning on the Lord’s strength, and trusting that He is faithful to complete the good work He’sbegun in us (Philippians 1:6).
When someone asks how they can be praying for you, it may be an opportunity to share something the Lord is doing in your heart. You could also pray one of these for a friend. The Lord often uses our simple prayers in ways we may never see.
I hope these words give you a place to start, whether you are praying for yourself or for someone you love. Keep bringing your heart to Him. God is faithful to do the work. The gospel transforms not just our circumstances, but the very core of who we are.
Are there any heart-focused prayers you would add to this list? I’d love to hear what the Lord is teaching you.
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