How to Pray

Have you ever felt alone? Have you felt weak or that you needed a little help? Today I am going to talk about something I have overlooked for a long time. It’s time to discuss prayer.

For years, I felt like prayer involved getting down on your knees and saying the Lord’s Prayer. It lacked any real meaning and felt like a chore. Is that what God wanted? But our pastor at church would always start off reciting it with, “And the Lord taught us to pray.” So, I did it and didn't question it.

The other problem I had is that informal prayer could feel like a wishing well. I would kneel and ask God to just give me things that I desired. I eventually gave that up too as God did not seem to be answering my prayers. What was I doing wrong?

What is Prayer?

It turns out that I was not necessarily doing anything wrong, but I was missing the point of prayer. As I started looking online for an answer, I discovered a bombshell. Jesus did not intend for us to recite the Lord’s Prayer word for word. He used it to teach us HOW to pray. The Lord’s prayer can be found in the bible at:

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-6-9_6-13/

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Luke-11-1_11-4/

There are steps to this formula:

1. Address God. Just as with starting a letter, let Him know you are talking to Him. I recommend addressing Him by a title (Heavenly Father, Almighty God, Holy Father, etc) as a sign of respect and to show you exalt Him.

2. Acknowledge that God has a plan. We are all part of God’s plan. We may not know what that is, but we must submit to God and do are part. He will lead us.

3. Ask for God’s word and blessing. Jesus referred to God’s Word as nourishment. Our soul uses it as spiritual food to help us grow.

4. Confess our sins and repent. I am leaving #3 and #4 in the order they appear in the prayer. I prefer switching these steps around though. I feel it is good to cleanse your soul (washing your hands) first to fully welcome God’s Word (nourishment). Do what you feel is right.

5. Ask God for what you need. This step does not appear in the prayer itself, but this is where it feels like it should go. We all sit around after the meal and talk to one another. This is your time to talk with God. Remember, He knows you. Be direct and ask God for what you need.

6. Request his protection. Evil is out there, and it is looking for people to try and tempt. Ask God for his help.

Why Use this Method?

You don’t have to use it. You can pray any way you want. There are times I use other methods or just simply tell him thank you. But this method is a good place to start. If Jesus provided it, it must have worth. I know that I use it quite a bit and it has helped me in many ways.

I find the most useful step is in confessing my sins. My heart opens up to God. I examine my day and think about all the ways I have sinned. Think about how and why you sinned. Were you stressed out? Were you in pain? Did you get enough sleep last night? Are you unprepared for an event? This self-examination will help you find reasons why you may have sinned. Once you have that information, ask God for help with helping you stop sinning.

Paul talks about this issue in Romans 2:5. By having a “stubborn and unrepentant heart”, we are storing up God’s wrath. Every night, I confess my sins and ask for help. My progression has been slow, but I feel as if I am becoming a better person. My anger and frustration fade away much faster than before. Sin has less of a grip on me. I encourage you to try it.

https://www.biblestudytools.com/romans/2.html

Don’t forget to ask God for his protection also. I know that this may seem pointless as you already asked for his help. I figured this step wasn’t really necessary. It turns out that I had a rougher day and I gave into my urges more. God’s armor does help us. He gives it to us freely. Why not use it?

Parting Words

Start forming a closer relationship with God through prayer. It really helps strengthen our faith and guides us to be better. The specifics do not matter. Just remember that we do this for God, not to look good for others. Our intentions matter! Keep it between you and Him. He knows your heart. Open it to Him and let Him in. Your spiritual life will be better for it.

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