Lord, do not let Your servant be led astray from the good and perfect gift found in Christ Jesus. As Creator of light, You brought me out of darkness. As Giver of gifts, You perfected those who put faith in Jesus. As the world casts shadows on truth, Lord, I look to Your pages of holy text to illuminate the way of living that glorifies You. Make me an adept listener, Lord. Tune my ears to honesty that lingers below laments of pain. Give me a compassionate heart toward those who are hurting and have become fodder for the enemy’s schemes. Slow my speech, Lord God. Remind me to wait upon the Spirit for words that only He knows the person I am speaking to needs to hear. Sprinkle such words with grace and understanding that magnifies Your heart instead of pushing my own agenda. Rid me of the need to prove I am right. Slow down my emotional responses in situations that rile me. I do not want my interactions to be tainted by the filth and evil of selfishness which is a trait of who I was before Christ. You have planted new seeds into my heart, Lord. Let the plants of patience, kindness, joy, and mercy grow up in my heart until the weeds of bitterness, resentment, envy, and strife no longer find soil to grow in. There are many in this world who have been fooled by their own deceptive hearts. Let me not be one of them. Instead, use me to shed light on that darkness the same way You shed the light for me, Lord. Under the blessed truth found in James 1:19-21 and the authority of Christ Jesus, I bow in prayer.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
James 1:19-21, NIV