With a breakfast sandwich in one hand and steaming-hot coffee in another, you race out the front door and into your car. As you scramble to get moving—shift into drive, position your mirrors, scan for other drivers—your coffee spatters onto your lap and your sandwich hits the floor. Another graceful morning, you think to yourself.

Once you clean up the mess, and prepare a new breakfast, you hit the road nearly an hour behind. To make up for lost time, you dart in and out of traffic, send emails at stoplights and join a conference call from the car. Finally, you stumble into your office and begin another day.

Have you ever endured a similar “graceful” morning? Whether you're sitting in stop-and-go traffic or completing several tasks while behind the wheel, the stress of the morning commute often leads to anger, anxiety and impatience.

But what would happen if you turned to God in these stressful moments? As you wiped the coffee from your lap—and picked up the pieces of your breakfast—you asked God for the strength to complete another day. In spite of your frustration, you put God at the center of every morning, asking him for joy, peace and patience.

The next time you jump into the car and embark on your morning commute, talk to God. Share your anxieties with him—whether you’re dreading heavy traffic or overwhelmed by your workload. And allow his hope, strength and perseverance to carry you past coffee spills and other morning setbacks.

These four prayers will guide you as you seek the Lord:

1. Lord, give me the strength to overcome my morning mishaps.
   May you be made strong with all the strength which comes from his glorious power, so that you may be able to endure everything with patience. – Colossians 1:11 (GNTD)
2. Lord, give me the patience to overcome small annoyances.
   Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times. – Romans 12:12 (GNTD)
3. Lord, give me peace when I wake up feeling anxious.
   Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. – John 14:27 (GNTD)
4. Lord, give me joy—even when I’m feeling grumpy.
   May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13 (GNTD)