6 Prayers to Deepen Your Faith during Advent

There are times when everything seems bleak. Challenges surround us, and our options seem to offer only heartache. An easy path is nowhere in sight.  

Joseph faced such a situation when he was betrothed to Mary and learned she was pregnant. What was he supposed to think? Scandal surrounded the woman he had intended to marry, but he did not want to hurt her with public ridicule. He did not think he could stay either. Yet, God sent an angel to him carrying the amazing message that Mary was pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). She would bear a Son who would save His people from their sins – Jesus (Matthew 1:21).      

Joseph had a decision to make: Would he trust the Lord regardless of the challenges? Would he take on the responsibility of caring for this virgin and her son?  

Because he trusted in the Lord, he was able to walk into the unknown and face the challenges ahead. He would take Mary as his wife and care for Jesus as his own.   

We, too, may be facing difficult circumstances this Advent season—a challenging relationship, conflict at work, or a major decision about following Christ. Whatever we are facing, we can draw strength from Scripture. The steps ahead may not be clear, but like Joseph, we can move forward with trust in the Lord. 

“God,
I am encouraged by the examples You provided in the Bible of people who trusted you in difficult circumstances. Enable me to grow in understanding Your faithfulness so I may trust You regardless of my challenges. Help me to have faith like Joseph.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.”  

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For those of us who have been reading the Bible for many years as followers of Jesus, we often know His commands. We know that He told us to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). To love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). To respond with kindness even when others hurt us (Matthew 5:44). Yet, obedience is difficult. We have to choose to lay aside our desires and natural inclinations to follow the Lord.  

To grow in our faith during Advent, we need to practice the type of surrender that Mary demonstrated in her life. Gabriel appeared and told her that the Lord had chosen her to bear the Son of God, the promised Messiah. However, she would not be pregnant by natural means. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, a virgin would give birth (Luke 1:31). God would fulfill His promise regardless of how impossible it seemed.  

We can learn a lot from her reply: 

“’ I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’” Luke 1:38, NIV

This young woman surely had questions and wondered how she would face her family and community – and Joseph. Yet, in faith, she surrendered herself to the will of God.  

Perhaps that is what we need in our lives today. A simple statement of obedience in which we say “yes” to God’s will regardless of the questions or concerns.  

If we are struggling today to obey the Lord in our everyday life, and we want to grow to be doers of the Word instead of hearers only, then let us pray: 

Father,
I so often seek my own will and way rather than Yours, Lord. Forgive me for knowing Your Word and yet failing to obey and apply it in my life. I want to say, like Mary, that I am your servant. This season, help me to learn to walk in surrender and obedience to Your will.
Amen.   

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By observing Advent, we remember that our entire life consists of waiting for our Savior’s return. We wait now during the season, but our waiting extends to the rest of the year. Our Lord told us to keep watch and be ready (Matthew 24:42-44). We are not meant to watch passively. Rather, our waiting should be active as we serve the Lord in faith until His return.  

Like Simeon and Anna in the Bible, who devoted themselves to prayer, fasting, and service until Messiah’s first coming, we can be faithful as we keep watch (Luke 2:25-26, 36-38).  

We will not be able to cloister ourselves away into the Temple as Anna did, but we can use the time the Lord has given us to serve Him and bring Him glory. So, we can pray, study the Bible, serve others, give, share the gospel, make disciples, and love others as we joyfully await our Savior’s return. For He is coming soon, and we want to be ready.  

Loving Savior,
You told us to be ready and to be faithful in our waiting. Help us to do so now as we observe this traditional time of watching. With wisdom and love, guide and strengthen us to utilize every gift and opportunity for Your glory.
Amen.  

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In the flurry of holiday activities, we can struggle to make Jesus our priority. He can be slowly and sometimes unintentionally pushed to the side as festivities fill our days. These activities are not wrong since many of them make the season more joyful. However, they become problems if they cause us to neglect our walk with the Lord. We do not want to lose sight of the best thing amid all the good things.   

Instead, believers can aim to be like the shepherds who received the news of the Savior’s birth with amazement and hurried to tell others about Christ (Luke 2:8-20). Or the wise men who traveled long and far to find the newborn King and worship Him (Matthew 2:9-11). If we want to experience a closer relationship with Him and deepen our faith in this Advent, then we need to put Him first.  

This will look different for each person. Some of us may simplify our celebrations to focus more on Jesus. A few may even decide to do something completely new this year, like abstain from presents or use a new devotional that involves the entire family. Whatever we decide to do, a helpful place to start in making Christ a priority of the season is by praying.  

Jesus,
You came and tabernacled among us; the Word made flesh. Yet so many missed Your coming. I do not want to miss the opportunity to reflect on Your first coming and soon return. Jesus, help me not to lose sight of You among the other blessings of the holidays, for You are the greatest gift. Teach me to love You more than anything else. In Your name,
Amen.

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In Paul’s letter to the Philippian church, he encouraged them to emulate Christ’s humility. As he wrote, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8, NIV). As the Lord of lords and King of kings, God the Son humbled Himself by adding humanity to His divinity. He identified with us to save us.  

To grow in our faith and love others as God calls us to, we must develop a humble heart and spirit – to not think we are better than others (Philippians 2:3-4). When we lay aside our pride and self-centered focus, we can serve others humbly as our Savior did.  

But we must first be willing to listen to what the Lord says to us in Scripture. The Word will reveal attitudes and areas of our hearts that need to be renewed. We must acknowledge our need for grace and submit to God’s work in us. Then, we can start living and loving more fully as followers of Christ.  

As we reflect on Jesus’ first coming as a lowly and gentle baby, let us pray to grow in humility: 

Lord,
Thank you for coming to save us. You humbled Yourself by taking on human flesh and becoming like us. Develop in us a spirit of humbleness, dear Savior. Enable us to consider the interests of others and to serve them in love, as You showed us. In Your name, we pray,
Amen.    

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With the lights and festivities, it can be hard to stop and focus on the reality of Jesus’ soon return. Meditating on this truth is vital, though, to our Christian growth. The early believers lived in expectation of the Lord’s coming and the renewal of all things. And it changed the way they lived.  

Paul told the Thessalonian believers that since they knew Jesus’ return was imminent, they should be prepared and live as children of light. As he wrote, 

“You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:5-8, NIV

We, too, should take time to consider the truth that our Lord has promised to return. Doing so can deepen our faith and walk with Christ. We will be motivated to live as children of light.  

Like many other believers throughout time, my prayer is for you to come Lord Jesus. I long for the day when You will return and make all things right – no more death or crying or pain. Until then, strengthen me to live in readiness and faithfulness.
Amen.

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