Prayer is one way we do life with God, our Father, and our Lord, Jesus Christ. Prayer is spending time in God’s presence. Just like being in the presence of a good friend, there is talking, and listening, and times of silence. In prayer, we have a chance to express the deepest concerns of our heart, and we have opportunity to listen to the deepest concerns of God’s heart. In prayer, we allow Jesus to speak to our spirits. From his presence, we can draw strength and encouragement in times of need; share with joy what is making us happy; and find comfort in those moments sadness and stress. As you pray, you will discover many other benefits.
There are no rules to praying, but there are some practices that make it easier to tell Jesus what you are thinking and listen to his spirit speaking to you.
First, pick a place to pray. You can pray anywhere, but if you pick a place to pray—a corner or a closet—over time you get into conversation with Jesus easier. As you move to your place of prayer, your mind, heart, and body begin to orient on Jesus. It’s like your body says to itself, I need to get ready to pray.
Second, pick a time to pray. You can pray anytime, but if you pick a specific time, you more easily develop the habit of prayer. Like many people’s bodies get hungrier around 12 noon, you will develop a spiritual hunger for Jesus if you have a regular time to pray.
Third, eliminate distractions. You can pray with the tv on or the phone on buzz, but if you are like most people, you concentrate better without potential distractions. Think about it, if your significant other says, I have something important to discuss with you, don’t you eliminate distractions so you can really absorb what they are saying?
Maybe now you’re wondering, what do I do next? Well, how do you begin a conversation with a friend? “Hi.” “How are you doing?” “Tell me about your day.” Same with God. Say, hi. Tell God how you are feeling. Tell God what’s making you feel that way. God loves the details. God loves to hear his children (you and me) speak from their hearts—the good and the bad. After you’ve spoken awhile, in the silence that follows, be sensitive to God leading you to think a certain way or helping you feel a certain way. Remember: God is looking to help, so God is going to speak to you in ways that are kind, helpful, gentle, positive, and loving.
Hopefully this helps get you started. If you have questions, contact us, and we’ll do our best to walk alongside you in discovering an answer to your questions. Feel free to leave us a prayer request by clicking the link at the top of the prayer page. We reserve the right to edit content that is questionable, but our heart is to help you and be a resource to any who desire prayers.
