Prayer for the End of the Day: 7 Powerful Ones to End Today with God

Looking for a new prayer for the end of the day?

If you’re like me, you grew up saying a memorized prayer for the end of day that went something like this: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.”

The first sentence of my childhood end of day prayer was comforting, but the thought of dying before my next morning? Not so much. The reference to eternity, however, is a good jumpstart for our prayers for end of day and a reminder that one day we’ll all face God.

As you prepare to pray at the end of your day, take a few moments to think back over your day.

• With whom did you engage and how did you relate to others?
• Were you loving and kind or harsh and judgmental?
• Were you angry or abrupt?
• Do you need to ask forgiveness from God or from those you encountered?

Consider areas in which you need forgiveness for how you treated others.  Let today’s successes and failures guide your prayer for the end of day.

 #1 Prayer for the End of Day: Forgiveness

“Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity…Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Ephesians 4:25-27, 31

The end of day is a good opportunity to consider how we’ve spent the hours God gave us.

• Did we treat people as we want to be treated?
• Did we love others as we love ourselves?
• How fully did we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength?
• Have we actively sinned or held on to hurt, anger, and hard feelings toward someone?
• Were our words less than gentle and kind?
  
  If your answer to any of those questions is yes, prayers for forgiveness are essential.

Sample Prayer for Forgiveness for the end of the day

Dear Lord,
You are perfect in every way, loving, righteous and holy, but I am not. I have failed you in my attitude and actions today. Please forgive me for _________ and help me to let go of my anger, bitterness, wrath, judgmental spirit, and all the other sins in which I’ve indulged today. Forgive me for the way I treated _______. Cleanse my heart and give me a heart for righteousness. Help me to let go of the mistakes of today and act more like Jesus tomorrow. Thank you for forgiving me.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

#2 Prayer for the End of Day: Failure to Obey

“Therefore to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4:17

Even if we do not do the things we consider overt sin, such as lying, stealing, adultery, murder, our failure to do those things we should do is still sin and is called a “sin of omission”.

Omitted obedience can weigh heavy on our hearts, especially when we ignore a nudge in our spirits to do something…whether to offer a word of encouragement, reach out to someone who’s struggling, or step out in faith in a way that’s uncomfortable. Prayers at the end of day are a good time to ask for forgiveness for not doing what we know we should.

Sample prayer:

Dear Lord,
You are so gracious and kind to forgive me when I sin but it’s easy to forget not doing what You want me to do is a much a sin as doing what You don’t want me to do. I’m sorry I failed to obey by not doing what I knew you wanted me to do today. Even when you nudged me to _________, I hesitated and didn’t step out. I surrender my will to yours and ask You to forgive me, Lord. Help me to obey quickly next time and to always step out in faith to do what you’ve asked me to do.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Related article: Creative Ways to Pray At Night

#3 Prayer for the End of Day: Thanksgiving

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Scripture tells us there are things we are to do continually: Rejoice. Pray. Give Thanks. This isn’t just a good idea, it’s God’s will for us.

The end of day is a perfect time to think back over our day and consider all the ways in which God blessed us. From waking us up in the morning to material blessings, spiritual blessings, and the peace and hope only He can give, we have much for which we can be thankful.

Sample prayer:

Father God,
You are my provider and the source of every blessing I have. Thank you for loving me and pouring out Your goodness for me and my family. Thank you for the beautiful day, for breath in my lungs, food in my stomach, a roof over my head, and peace in my heart. You gave me a vehicle to drive, work to do, money to buy the things I need and I am so grateful. Thank you for the hope of heaven and the forgiveness only You can give. I praise you for your generosity and never-ending faithfulness even when I am unfaithful.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

#4 Prayer for the End of Day: Prodigals

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

As we unwind at the end of the day, our deepest concerns often come to the forefront of our minds.

Our loved ones who do not know Jesus, who have strayed far from the His way, or those who are caught in the clutches of addiction and other struggles are never far from our thoughts.

Nighttime can be the most difficult part of the day, can’t it? It’s hard to sleep when you don’t know if your loved one is safe and secure.

We can take hope in the promise of 2 Peter 3:9 because God cares about our loved ones even more than we do.

His return is intentionally delayed because He wants everyone to come to Him, including those we love.

He’s actively waiting for them to repent—and isn’t it a relief that we don’t wait alone for God is with us in our waiting? Prayers at the end of day can bring peace for the night when we trust those we love the most to His loving care.

Sample prayer:

Dear God,
Thank you for loving _________ more than I do. You created him/her and you want him/her to come to You. I am choosing to trust Your love and Your care. Deliver them from evil and make even the temptation to do wrong distasteful to them. Trouble their ungodly relationships and break the bonds holding them to ungodly people. Draw them to the love of Jesus and keep them safe until they surrender to You. Help me to know what I should do and what I shouldn’t do, and to trust You to do what only You can do in their life.

In Jesus’s powerful, chain-breaking Name, Amen.

#5 Prayer for the End of Day: Relief from Fear

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul…Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me.” Psalm 23:1-4

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7

In a world filled with unseen risks, there are many reasons for fear. It’s tempting to allow fear to control our thoughts and paralyze our actions but, left unchecked, fear makes us feel as if our minds are anything but sound.

Scripture, however, tells us the all-consuming emotion of fear is not from God. Instead, he is our Good Shepherd who goes with us every step of the way and directs both our direction and the path on which we travel.

When our worry causes us to rehearse scenarios and robs us of sleep, we have a choice. Continue with worry and wakefulness or give our fears to God and allow Him to help us take every thought captive and give us peace.

Sample prayer:

Dear Father,
Thank you for being my Shepherd and providing everything I need. You walk with me through everything I face, including the hardest, most frightening times and I thank you for not making me go through them alone. Thank you that Goodness and Mercy go with me and that nothing I encounter will take you by surprise or be too hard for you.

I know that fear does not come from you, so I give you my fear about ______ and ask you to replace it with a sound, settled mind. Prince of Peace, please fill me with your peace and help me to quiet my mind and fill it with thoughts of you and your word.

In the name of Jesus, my defender and strength, Amen.
#6 Prayer for the End of Day: Restful Sleep

In peace I will both lie down and sleep for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

The anxiety of life, undone tasks of the day, and the ever-lengthening to-do list for tomorrow can all follow us into bed and race endlessly through our brains, robbing us of sleep.

It’s easy to pull up the covers and immediately rehearse the day’s conversations, consider what might have been better left unsaid, or what could’ve been said better. What-ifs loom large in the dark of night.

God’s word, however, tells us He never sleeps.

Instead, God continues to care for us even when we’re deep in slumber. How do we have the sweet sleep the psalmist, David, experienced?

We pray, ask God to help us, trust that He will, and meditate on His promises rather than rehearse the worries of the day.

Sample prayer:

Dear Lord,
Thank you for loving me, no matter how my day went or how well I responded. Please help me to control my thoughts and focus my mind on you. Help me to remember that you see everything that happens to me. You know everything that concerns me, and are right here with me. Help me to go to sleep quickly, rest with sweet dreams, and awake refreshed and rested. I love you and I trust you.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

#7 Prayer for End of Day: Plans for Tomorrow

“For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Bills to pay, children’s schedules to juggle, shopping to do, meals to cook, house cleaning to complete…It all grows in size and importance when the lights go out, doesn’t it?

Do you fall into bed and run down a mental checklist of what you need to do tomorrow? Maybe that checklist triggers concerns about how you’ll ever get it all done, what to do first, and even what can wait for another day.

We may be great at making lists and plans, but without any real idea of what tomorrow brings, they’re just assumptions and words on a page. Only God knows what the future holds. He knows His plans and they’re never for calamity. God’s plans are good. They bring a future and hope, whether we recognize it at the start or not.

A schedule for the coming day is a good idea but, when tomorrow’s to-do list runs through our head on continuous replay, we do well to choose God’s will and not our own. (See James 4:13-15) Let’s surrender our list to Him and ask Him to bring about His plan, whether it includes ours or not.

Sample prayer:

Dear God,
My mind is too full of tomorrow to rest tonight. Help me to trust in your good plan for my day and leave my to-do lists with you. I choose to trust you with my finances, my family, and every aspect of my life. Help me to do what matters most to you tomorrow so direct my step. Keep me on your path, regardless of what I think I want. I’ll do what I can with what must be done but please be sure I’m doing what you want first.

In the name of the One who loves us most, Jesus, Amen.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a prayer for the end of the day, you can use one of these prayers, or all of them! No matter what, it is amazing that you are choosing to end your day with Jesus! Which prayer for the end of the day spoke to you the most? Let us know below and God bless!