Arouse in me a deep desire for holiness, Lord God. Lead my wayward heart on a path of repentance that leads to redemption because of Your footprints of grace. My carnal mind has worked diligently to map out the way of salvation for myself. Reverse my thinking and keep me mindful of the steps You have taken as You have gone before me. It is Your way, not my own, that truly matters. Keep me from boasting of the merits which carry religious qualifications. Believing and being baptized are symbolic of what You have done for me, not carrying a weight of salvation in their own rite. Taking communion is a treasured ritual designed to provoke remembrance not cleanse my soul the way You did on the cross. Forgive me for turning sacraments into idols, Lord God, when they are meant to be holy tokens of affection between us. Weave my faith with threads of belief so thick that it cannot be broken. Allow me to trust You simply, to depend on You wholeheartedly, and to rely on nothing except the promises set down in Your Word. Under the blessed assurance of Psalm 9:9-10 and the authority of my Savior, Christ Jesus, I bow in prayer.

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.
And those who know Your Name put their trust in You,
    for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Psalm 9:9-10, ESV