Wisdom for Choosing Who Is Close
A prayer for discernment about who gets access to your life — inner circle, distance, and the courage to change either one.
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Lord, give me wisdom about who I let close.
Not everyone who wants access should have it, and not everyone I have kept at a distance deserves to stay there.
Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.
” Show me honestly who I am becoming in the company I keep.
Reveal the relationships that pull me toward my worst instincts, and give me the honesty to admit I sometimes enjoy them.
Where I have confused loyalty with tolerating harm, correct me.
Where I have confused boundaries with punishment, correct that too.
Give me courage to widen the circle for the person I have been too guarded with, and courage to narrow it where I have been reckless.
Guard me from using discernment as an excuse for pride.
I am not better than anyone; I am simply responsible for what shapes me.
Bring people into my life who love You, tell me the truth, and celebrate what You are doing in me.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Voice
Commanding and declarative
Speed
Lord, give me wisdom about who I let close. Not everyone who wants access should have it, and not everyone I have kept at a distance deserves to stay there.
Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” Show me honestly who I am becoming in the company I keep.
Reveal the relationships that pull me toward my worst instincts, and give me the honesty to admit I sometimes enjoy them.
Where I have confused loyalty with tolerating harm, correct me. Where I have confused boundaries with punishment, correct that too.
Give me courage to widen the circle for the person I have been too guarded with, and courage to narrow it where I have been reckless.
Guard me from using discernment as an excuse for pride. I am not better than anyone; I am simply responsible for what shapes me.
Bring people into my life who love You, tell me the truth, and celebrate what You are doing in me.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scripture
Verse Citations for This Prayer
Scripture quotations are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.
“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” — Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What does the prayer “Wisdom for Choosing Who Is Close” mean?
Who you keep close shapes who you become. This prayer asks for honest discernment — both to pull back from what pulls you down, and to open up where fear has kept you guarded — without turning discernment into contempt.
How do I apply “Wisdom for Choosing Who Is Close” to my own life?
List the five people you talk to most and note who you become around each. Change the level of access for one relationship this month — closer or further. Confess where you enjoy a relationship that pulls you toward your worst instincts. Invite one wise person deeper into your life and let them speak honestly.
What Bible verse goes with this relationships prayer?
“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” — Proverbs 13:20 (NIV) Read the verse slowly before and after praying so the words shape how you pray rather than only how you feel.
Can I pray this prayer every day?
Yes. These daily prayers are free to read, print, or share, and repeating one for a week often does more than reading a new one each day. Praying the same scripture repeatedly helps it settle into how you think and respond.
Breaking The Pattern · Spiritual Health
breakingthepattern.com/spiritual/prayers/wisdom-for-choosing-who-is-close
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