St. Patrick’s Day is a time of celebration, reflection, and gratitude for the life and mission of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. He was a man of deep faith, courage, and perseverance, bringing the Gospel to the Irish despite facing slavery, persecution, and hardship.
As you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, plan to do more than wear green, go to a party, or visit an Irish pub. Make it a special day of prayer since St. Patrick made prayer a top priority throughout his life – and God answered his prayers powerfully. Here are seven prayers for St. Patrick’s Day, along with supporting Bible verses and historical facts from St. Patrick’s life.
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1. A Prayer for Faith and Trust in God
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
When he was a teenager, St. Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders and enslaved for six years. During this time, he turned to God in prayer, growing deeply in faith and trust.
“Dear God, just as St. Patrick trusted you in all circumstances – even during the most challenging situations he faced. When he was taken from his homeland as an enslaved person, he turned to you in prayer and found strength. In my own struggles, I choose to place my faith in you. Thank you for being such a loving Heavenly Father who wants the best for me. God, when I’m struggling with doubts, please help me to trust that you’re working in my life even when I can’t see you. Strengthen my faith so I can rely on your guidance, even when I don’t understand it. When challenges shake my confidence, remind me that I’m always in your loving hands. I don’t want to have just a faith of convenience; I want a devoted faith that helps me trust you no matter what circumstances I face. Like St. Patrick, who trusted you even when all seemed lost, please help me trust you when I feel unsure, discouraged, or abandoned. Remind me that you see the whole picture, while I see only a part of it. God, I surrender my fears, worries, and desire to control everything. Instead of trying to control my circumstances, I trust you to guide me through them daily and help me with whatever I need. Thank you, God. I love you. Amen.”
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2. A Prayer for Strength in Difficult Times
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13
After escaping slavery, St. Patrick returned to Ireland as a missionary, facing opposition and danger but persevering in his mission to share the Gospel.
“Dear God, without you, I’m weak. St. Patrick endured many but remained strongly committed to his mission. When I face difficult times – in my relationships, work, health, or any other part of my life – please give me the strength I need to stay faithful. When I feel tired, give me energy. When I feel discouraged, encourage me. When I feel like giving up, please remind me of your purposes for my life. Like St. Patrick, who overcame the challenges of slavery and his mission to reach pagan people with your Gospel, let me find strength in my relationship with you. Please give me the courage to stand strong in all situations and the faith to know that, with your help, I can overcome anything. God, I know that going through struggles refines my character and helps me grow into the person you want me to be. Please give me a new perspective on my difficulties so I can see that they’re not punishments but opportunities to grow in my faith and reliance on you. Teach me to meet difficult situations with perseverance and hope. I give you every one of my burdens and trust you to help me with whatever I need in all those situations. Thank you for giving me strength for whatever I face. Amen.”
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3. A Prayer for Protection and Guidance
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” – Psalm 23:1.
St. Patrick’s famous prayer, “The Breastplate of St. Patrick,” calls on God’s protection in all aspects of life and emphasizes trusting God’s guidance.
“Dear God, you kept St. Patrick safe through all kinds of difficult situations. Please do the same for me. Protect me in every part of my life from dangers I can see and dangers I can't. Please guide me in the right direction every day. Sometimes, I feel totally lost and don't know what to do. In those times, remind me that you're like my shepherd, always leading me. When I wander off, please call me back. When I'm scared, remind me you're right here with me. And when I think I know better than you, please gently pull me back to your way. Like St. Patrick, who was brave even in hazardous circumstances, I ask for courage, peace, and protection. Please help me be confident that you’re with me and helping me anytime and anywhere. Give me everything I need to fight spiritual warfare battles successfully. Deliver me from evil and stay close to me through the power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you for always walking ahead of me and beside me, no matter what circumstances I face. I look forward to feeling safe in your loving care every day of my life. Amen."
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4. A Prayer for Forgiveness
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” – Colossians 3:13
Despite being enslaved in Ireland, St. Patrick forgave the people of Ireland and returned to Ireland with a mission to help them.
“Dear God, you know that it's hard for me to forgive sometimes. But you’ve been so kind to me and want me to be kind to others too – like St. Patrick, who even forgave the people who hurt him. Help me let go of my bitterness over how people hurt me in the past, God. I keep thinking about things that happened, and it's not good for me. I don't want to be stuck feeling angry. Please, make my heart softer. Teach me how to forgive–not just say the words, but truly mean it – with your help. Please show me how to forgive as you have forgiven me, and empower me to forgive. I trust that when I choose to do so without waiting until I feel like it, the feelings will follow as you change my heart. Please heal the hurt inside me, God. Take away the anger and fill me with your peace. I'm giving you all my pain because I know you can fix it. I want to feel free and to move on with peace, feeling your love for me. Amen."
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5. A Prayer for Courageous Evangelism
“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.’” – Matthew 9:37
St. Patrick is credited with bringing thousands of Irish people into relationships with Jesus, using cultural symbols like the shamrock to explain the Trinity.
“Dear God, I know you want me to share my faith with everyone in my life, and I really want to do that. Like St. Patrick, please give me the courage to discuss my faith. Sometimes, I get nervous and don't know what to say, so help me find the right words. Guide me through the power of your Holy Spirit. Please open doors for me to share your truth, even when people don't want to hear it. Let my life show how much you love everyone. Please help me share the good news by talking and being kind and showing your grace to everyone I meet. Please give me the strength to speak confidently about you. Let your strength work through me, and your love flow through my life into other people’s lives. Let my faith attract people, like St. Patrick's faith did. Thank you, God. Amen.”
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6. A Prayer for Humility and Service
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” – James 4:10
Despite his significant impact, St. Patrick remained humble, referring to himself as a sinner and a simple servant of God.
“Dear God, please help me be humble. Like St. Patrick, I don't want to think I'm better than anyone else. I want to spend my life helping people and doing so with love. Please take away any pride I have and motivate me to help people in need out of pure motives. Instead of seeking attention for myself when I serve, help me focus on the people I’m serving and see them as my brothers and sisters in your family together. Help me remember that humble service leads to true greatness. Please show me that when I serve others, I'm really serving you. I want my life to show humility in action, and I want to serve others with love in all the ways you lead me to serve. Thank you, God. Amen.”
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7. A Prayer to Notice God’s Presence in Daily Life
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5
St. Patrick’s writings – especially his autobiography Confessio – reveal his firm belief that he was never alone because God was with him throughout his life. He relied on God’s presence to give him confidence every day.
“Dear God, thank you for always being there for me. No matter where I go or what happens, you're with me. St. Patrick knew you were with him every step of the way. Help me remember you're right here with me, too. Sometimes, I get so caught up in everything that I forget you're even here. Please show me how to notice your presence with me throughout my day. When I feel lonely, remind me I'm never really alone. When I'm overwhelmed, help me find peace knowing you're walking right beside me, guiding and holding me up with your love. If I'm having a great or tough day, help me always know you're here. I want to see glimpses of your work around me all day long. Please speak to me in my quiet thoughts and all the beautiful things you've made. Help me experience the wonder of your work every day. I never want to take being inspired by you for granted. Like St. Patrick, who wanted to connect with you and be inspired with awe regularly, I'm inviting you into every part of my day. Be with me when I wake up, go to sleep, and all the time between. Help me live every moment with an awareness of your wonderful presence with me. Thank you, God. I love you. Amen.”
In conclusion, St. Patrick’s Day can be much more than just a holiday to have fun. It can be a special prayer day to honor God and St. Patrick, who had a strong prayer life. When you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year, let St. Patrick’s relationship with God inspire you to pray. Then look forward to how God will answer your prayers – just as God did for St. Patrick – in incredible ways!
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Originally published Tuesday, 11 March 2025.