Prayer of Confession

By Peter Nott
Bishop of Norwich

"Prayer of Confession"

Let this be my prayer for all of us always and forevermore

O Lord, open our minds to see ourselves as You see us,
And from all unwillingness to know our weakness and our sin,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From SELFISHNESS:
From wishing to be the center of attention:
From seeking admiration;
From the desire to have our own way in all things:
From unwillingness to listen to others,
From resentment to criticism,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From LOVE of POWER, from JEALOUSY;
From taking pleasure in the weakness of others,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From the WEAKNESS of INDECISION, from FEAR of ADVENTURE;
From the constant fear of what others are thinking of us;
From fear of speaking what we know is the truth,
And doing what we know is right,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From POSSESSIVENESS about MATERIAL THINGS and PEOPLE;
From carelessness about the needs of others;
From selfish use of time and money;
From all lack of generosity;
Good Lord, deliver us.

From LAZINESS of CONSCIENCE.
From lack of self-discipline, from failure to persevere;
From depression in failure and disappointment,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From FAILURE to be TRUTHFUL.
From pretense and acting a part; from hypocrisy;
From all dishonesty with ourselves and with others,
Good Lord, deliver us,

From IMPURITY in WORD, in THOUGHT, and in ACTION;
From failure to respect the bodies and minds of ourselves and others;
From any kind of addiction;
Good Lord, deliver us.

From HATRED and ANGER; from SARCASM;
From lack of sensitivty and division in our community;
From failure to love and to forgive;
Good Lord, deliver us.

FROM FAILURE TO SEE OUR SIN AS AN AFFRANT TO GOD;
FROM FAILURE TO ACCEPT THE FORGIVENESS OF OTHERS;
GOOD LORD, DELIVER US!!!