Prayer for the Virtue of Temperance

Prayer for the Virtue of Temperance

Heavenly Father, Grant me the grace to practice temperance in all things. Help me to moderate my desires, control my impulses, and choose wisely what is good and holy. Strengthen my will when I am tempted to excess, and guide me to live a balanced, disciplined, and peaceful life. May Your Spirit sustain me so that I may honor You in my actions, and cultivate moderation, patience, and self-mastery each day. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

A prayer for temperance asks God for help controlling desires, finding balance in activities, and moderating pleasures, often by following Jesus' example of self-control, using scripture like 2 Peter to add virtues, and seeking balance in work, rest, and consumption to live a more God-centered, moderate life. 

General Prayers for Temperance

For Moderation: "Lord Jesus Christ, I often overdo things. Help me find balance in sleeping, thinking, working, and playing, so that I do all things in moderation for Your glory. Amen."

For Control of Desires: "Heavenly Father, You give good things. Help me use them rightly, controlling my desires for food, drink, and pleasure. Temper my extremes and lead me to contentment and a deeper union with You."

From Scripture (2 Peter 1:6-7): "May grace and peace be multiplied to me through the knowledge of God. By His divine power, grant me all things for life and godliness. Help me add to my faith, virtue, knowledge, and temperance, and to temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity." 

Key Themes in Temperance Prayers

Model of Christ: Asking Jesus, who resisted temptation in the desert, for strength to control physical desires (food, drink, etc.).

Balance: Seeking balance in all aspects of life, from eating and sleeping to work and recreation.

Contentment: Praying to be content with what one has, rather than constantly seeking more.

Body as a Temple: Asking for respect for the body, avoiding excesses like alcohol, drugs, or overeating.

Focus on God: Recognizing that moderation helps honor God and fosters deeper spiritual connection.

A prayer for the virtue of temperance often seeks divine assistance in cultivating self-control, moderation, and balance in various aspects of life, recognizing that temperance is a gift from God that helps individuals align their desires with His will.

OTHER PRAYER:

"Heavenly Father, I come before You seeking the grace of temperance. You are the model of self-restraint, never over-indulging in the temporal. My body is Your temple, and I desire to treat it with ongoing respect, avoiding self-abuse in all its forms, whether through alcohol, drugs, or excess food. Bestow upon me the fortitude to control my body and govern my appetites, not just for physical things, but also for perfection, success, and power. Help me to be moderate in the pleasure and use of all created goods, allowing You to control my desires."

I pray for a watchful heart, which no curious thought will turn away from You; a noble heart, which no unworthy affection will drag down; a righteous heart, which no irregular intention will turn aside; a firm heart, which no tribulation will crush; a free heart, which no violent affection will claim for its own. Grant me the wisdom to discern what is perfect for me and to avoid that which leads me away from You. Inspire me to be moderate and balanced in the enjoyment of pastimes, and to limit my use of media to that which is uplifting, useful, wholesome, and serves You.

May I despise all transitory things and desire You alone, subduing my flesh and purifying my conscience. Strengthen me to exercise self-control in all things, not for a perishable wreath, but for an imperishable one. Deliver me from gluttony in all its forms and grant me the freedom and joy of temperance. May I always observe discipline in my clothing, movements, and gestures, and may my tongue be restrained from vain words. Through the intercession of saints like Mark Ji Tianxiang, who struggled with addiction yet remained faithful, help me to persevere in cultivating this virtue. May my life be pleasing to You, meritorious to myself, and edifying to my neighbor. Amen.

SHORT PRAYER: "Lord Jesus Christ, I have the tendency to overdo almost anything. When I am involved in something, I plunge into it to the point of being oblivious of everything else. Give me a spirit of temperance to maintain my balance in all things, whether I am sleeping, thinking, working, playing, or praying. Let me realize that whatever I do, I should do in moderation. Amen."