I’ve noticed many people have opened up about having issues with prayer. You do not have to pray a specific way. However, I understand this is not always easy for others. What I want to do is have a series on specifics to help you pray for others and certain things to focus on.
How do you pray?
No, please, you do not have to go into details in the comments about how you pray or how often you pray. In fact, that kind of defeats the purpose of prayer, being intimate with God.
Related Post | Intimate Meaning In, “I Do Not Know You.”
But those things should be considered when we reflect on our prayer life.
- Who are we praying for?
- How often are we talking to God?
- What are we praying?
- How are we praying?
- Where and with whom are we praying?
Then today’s title, are we praying at all?
Prayer is honestly one of the easiest things we can do. We do not have to have a Bible beside us. We don’t have to have people around us either. Truthfully, it takes no effort on our part. We know what we struggle with. We know what others struggle with. But can we talk to God about these things?
Can we talk to Him at all?
People make prayer a lot more complicated than it needs to be. Some people pride themselves on their skill, but these people only tend to pray out loud near others. Unfortunately, where others have fallen in prayer, many are pulled in as well.
If people feel unskilled in talking to God, then they may be pulled in when others complain about how He is not answering. We can easily be a stumbling block to others unintentionally. Having a bad day, maybe we say something out of feelings regarding Jesus and His response time in our lives. It’s okay to vent but how are others interpreting our words?
People often complain about the silence of God. It’s easy to do, and a temptation I deal with too. But truthfully, just how silent are we? It’s important to put ourselves on the spot because making God out to be the “bad guy” when we aren’t being consistent in what we proclaim to believe in, it’s false advertising, to say the least.
(NIV) Luke 18:01, “Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
I understand why it is hard for people to pray. Many times in seasons of hardship and storms we feel overwhelmed. We don’t understand. Some seasons may last years depending on what we are dealing with. Maybe we will have a thorn at our side. Our timing is not God’s timing. The outcome we expect out of a situation may not be what God desires for us, and those answers are hard to receive.
But at the same time, these are all the more reason to pray.
No one in the Bible turned away from prayer. Psalm is full of honesty and depression. Job cried out in pain and despair when no one understood him. Jeremiah cried over a fallen people and the constant death in the streets. Jesus, before His death, prayed so greatly His sweat dropped like blood.
(NIV) Luke 22:44, “And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Prayer is not meant to always be a time of renewal, happiness, or showers in blessings. Prayer does not mean we instantly get the answers we want either. Again, if we need to look at anyone, we need to look at Christ. God’s ways are bigger than us. Through darkness, His light is still there. Through pain, eventually, be it on this earth or Heaven there will be healing.
We do not have that kind of control.
I struggle with this realization. But then again, who am I to try to cling to an unknown future? Who am I to trust my own worry and doubt?
I’m nothing without God.
And He reminds me that…not that I’m nothing (that’s the darkness’ specialty), but He shows me why I have a purpose, why He wanted to create me, and how I can give Him glory. Most often this happens through prayer and worship.
Prayer is not about knowing the answers. It’s simply talking to Him. Being honest. Holding nothing back. In a way, it’s like a form of communion. Taking in and being part of His presence. And through prayer and actively seeking Him in all things, He will give us answers. He will give us glimpses of His plan and purpose.
Because to give it all to us at once…it’s too much.
I hope you join me in this series. And I hope it encourages you to go to God.
Monthly Scripture – (NIV) Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
*** Community Prayers | October ’18 – Join Me In Praying For Each Other And If You Have A Request To Add Let Me Know.
Second Blog: Peeking Beneath
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Prayer is a conversation with God and Jesus is our advocate. A conversation is a two way dialogue, I have an ongoing conversation with God that goes on at various times throughout the day.
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It is important. He answers us in both big and small ways for sure.
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Great post! I am awful at praying. I try to each night but I often forget. I try to look toward Him for truth and answers and rejoice in Him but I seem to often overlook Him. My grandma once told me to just talk to Him. He doesn’t need a formal prayer and there doesn’t have to be a reason, just talk. Even then it is a struggle for me. Maybe I just need to practice more to get in the habit to just dropping a few lines to Him here and there instead of just going to Him in my time of need or praise.
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When I was 13 I started directing Him to things around me. Starting with, “Lord, do You see that awesome sunset.” You do not have to speak, you talk can to Him in your thoughts with whatever you are doing. It does not have to be always a request. It could be a statement. It could be worship. It could be a plea. The more you do this, the easier it gets 🙂
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Great advice. I’m going to try to just “chit chat” with Him more. Then hopefully talking to Him will because second nature.
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It really helps!!! 🙂
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Love the post. It is crazy how sometimes we complicate prayer and how we don’t want to pray at times but we find it so easy to do other things. But prayer is so essential and should be easy because like you said, it’s intimacy with God. It should be as easy as having a conversation with your parents, siblings, and friends.
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Very true! Though He is the Judge He also has an understanding no one else can give us. Very important.
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Amen
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I love how you handled this subject. You put people at ease while addressing prayer biblically. Excellent post!
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Thank you! This was just an idea God put on my heart and I know there are multiple thingsto address. I’m glad He is helping me. 🙂 I would not be able to do it properly otherwise. Praise His name!
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Yes! Amen! Prayer is really such an incredible privilege and my prayer life deepened tremendously when I began to realize how much it is so. Seriously, the Creator of all that is seen and unseen allows us to approach His throne of grace to seek help, mercy, and all of it. Even to approach His throne is a wonder, but to talk with Him? Yowza!
I know for me, prayer has been one of the ways God has changed me. Through my candid talks with Him, He’s caused me to realize not only where I’m being a demanding and whiny child (ie – fussy when my wants aren’t met), He’s often answered my prayers not by filling my order like some eternal waiter but by causing me to see an area where I was praying or acting in unbelief. Through prayer, I find I’m more often caused to deal with my sin than anything else – and it is SO good! Because He is so good…
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Amen! It is important to know we may be struggling with something we are not aware of and it may not come to the light unless we go to Him. The way He has answered me sometimes is astounding both with answered prayers of yes and no. Thanks for sharing! I love this insight!
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I love everything you say in this post! I have struggled all my young life with having an authentic relationship with prayers and how I grew up in a ritualistic culture where the conversations about life and it’s tests were treated separate from the time for prayers. Only when I could connect the 2 and bring all my conversations to surrender and faith, I could relate and understand the true meaning of prayer.
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I’m so glad you had that connection! You are right. Many people do want to make prayer a separate thing, but it really does not have to be.
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It is always joy to read your post. This one is master piece on prayer. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. God bless you.
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Thank you!
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Welcome TR.
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Amen!!! Big encourager! God bless! 🙂
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🙂 so glad this encouraged you!!
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Yes bless God!
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Great topic
This week is my first time where i can say I’ve prayed to God like the bible. Asks of us.
Praying isn’t just at home on your knees but everywhere you go you talk to God.
At work, bus train station cooking before after bed..
Honestly did it this week and it feels great i feel great and so strong despite trouble my head was at perfect peace.
I used to think we must pray on our knees so i had very hard time praying.
I just pray to keep up.
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Yeah, prayer could be done on our knees but it does not have to be every single time we pray. Like you said, it can be in many ways. I’m so glad you have experienced this with prayer, it is a special connection.
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So important! I like to just pray throughout my day. But I’m so bad at listening!
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Consistent prayer is good 🙂 and listening is not always easy. But it helps be open like you are for us to know what we struggle with ❤
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Great post, T.R.! I look forward to this series. I pray/talk to God anywhere I might be. He’s always accessible.
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Yea, He is 🙂
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Just this morning I had several thoughts on the subject of prayer. I will try to follow you as much as possible in this series.
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❤ God has been revealing a lot to me. I hope it speaks to you and gives Him glory 🙂
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Thanks for sharing about the simplicity but important of prayer! It can seem overwhelming like you have to have an agenda just to talk to God. My favorite thing to do is go on a prayer walk.
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Prayer walks are fun!!! It’s true people feel prayer has to be a certain way and it does not. 🙂
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excellent read. Gread post.
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Thanks! Glad you liked it!
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Love this post – I am easily intimidated by prayer so this was encouraging for me. Thank you for sharing!! 💜
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So glad you liked it!!! It can be hard for many people. I hope this series helps ❤
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I think it will! It’s already helping me. 😊💜
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