THE UPPER ROOM DEVOTIONAL 11TH DECEMBER 2025, THURSDAY MESSAGE
A New Way of Praying
Kaitlin Potts (Arizona, USA)
Today’s Reading
James 4:6-10
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. – James 4:8 (NRSVUE)
I used to grumble to God about people and situations I didn’t like. Despite being nice to the people who had wronged me, I remained bitter. I couldn’t have an honest talk with God because my heart was filled with resentment. I finally realized that while I was kind to others face-to-face, I was meditating on their wrongs in my thoughts — and in my prayers. I wanted a pure heart.
I started to thank God for working in my worst situations. From my heart, I blessed the people who had harmed me and thanked God for them. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I obeyed God’s command to forgive. Soon, I found I held nothing against anyone or any situation. My love for others became genuine. Then a miraculous thing happened: the room in my heart that had been filled with bitterness and grumbling was cleared out. As I prayed, I was no longer concerned with the sins of others or bitter about frustrating situations. My heart was free to draw near to God.
Thought for the Day
Today I will let God’s love purify my heart.
Prayer Focus
Those struggling to forgive
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The Upper Room Devotional 11th December 2025 is a daily devotional magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing—both laity and clergy, published authors and new writers. Read More