A Prayer for a Pure Heart to Pursue God
By Kelly Balarie
Bible Reading: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. – Matthew 5:8 ESV
Read or Listen Below:
“Wow! Look at the ground!” I told a friend, as we took a walk together.
Before making this bold statement, I was in the process of telling my friend how much God loved her. Now that I interrupted her, we both stopped our conversation and jerked our heads down to the ground, together.
Smiling, we soaked in what we saw: a leaf the shape of a heart.
It’s so like God to surprise us this way. I love it when He shows up like this.
Has something like this ever happened to you before, dear friend?
For me? I notice when my heart is set on God… When I am talking about God often… When I am thinking about Him throughout the day… He shows up like this.
He’ll do little surprise landings. I may see a stick the shape of a cross. I may hear someone say something he has whispered to me in the morning while I was reading my bible. I may encounter a smile that reminds me of Jesus. I may look out the window and notice a bumper sticker that conveys something He would want me to know.
When my heart purely seeks Him, thinks upon Him, and pursues Him, I seem to get more of Him. When I purely want God above all else, I see God all over my day. He may speak in a lesson through a circumstance. He may speak through the voice of a friend. He may speak through a trial, but no matter – I get to see God.
Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
What is a pure heart?
If you consider pure gold, it is pure because all impurities have been removed. Through heat, impurities rise to the top of gold, so that what remains is – pure. Gold is pure when it is authentic and one hundred percent true to its nature.
Likewise, I am pure when, through the heat of life, I allow my impurities to be removed (by empowering grace of God). Here, my pure motives give way to passionate pursuit of the Lord. And, in the absence of impure intentions there are no longer mental limitations or random ruminations that block my seeing of God.
When I have a pure heart, I more easily see God. With a pure heart, I more easily delight in the Lord. With a pure heart, I more easily see His heart.
Let’s Pray:
Father, I want to have clean hands and a pure heart. Will you purify me? I want to be tested and proven as pure as gold. I want to see You. I want to delight in You. I want to know You. May I be known as a person who loves You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/AaronAmat
Related Resource: Establishing a Routine of Rest
For a long time, rest felt less like a gift and more like a guilty indulgence — something to be earned, something to feel vaguely ashamed of, something that productive, faithful people did not really need. In a world that measures worth by output, the idea of stopping feels dangerously close to falling behind.
But what if rest is not optional? What if it was never meant to be? Tonight, lay down the hustle. Receive the gift. This is exactly what you were made for. Your Nightly Prayer is a daily Christian prayer podcast from the LifeAudio Podcast Network and Crosswalk.com. Each night, the team behind Crosswalk.com brings you a devotional and prayer to help you end your day in conversation with God. May these nightly prayers help you find the words to pray and focus your heart and mind on the love of God as you end your day. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Thursday, 13 February 2025.
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