How Should We Pray?

Sometimes I feel like I’m a bad pray-er, usually because I’m not eloquent in my prayers or they turn into more of a wish list. But sometimes my mind wanders when I am praying, and sometimes I’m just not sure what to say.

Maybe I’m being too hard on myself by focusing on the wrong aspect of prayer. Should a prayer be more about my words or my heart? I would like my prayer life to be more active and to grow. Just like any relationship, my relationship with the Lord should not be stagnant. It should be active and growing with increasing communication.

What Does the Bible Say About Prayer?

The Bible says a lot about prayer. From Moses and the Israelites to Paul and the disciples, God’s people called out to him both in times of joy and in times of trouble. The commonality I see in verses about prayer is relationship. Whoever was praying was turning to the Lord for whatever they needed, in celebration or sorrow. They were drawing closer to the Lord and building their relationship with him.

There really is no right or wrong way to pray. It’s personal. The Bible offers guidelines and examples, but the root within those guidelines and examples is our relationship with the Lord. Compare how we talk to our friends and family versus acquaintances. The closer our relationships with people, the deeper and more honest are our conversations with them. This is how it should be with the Lord.

Franklin Graham shared a great reminder on an Instagram post a couple of months ago. He was posting pictures from an event where he was preaching. His caption read, “I told the crowd in Tri-Cities that I wasn’t there to talk to them about religion. Religion can’t save you. Wearing a cross around your neck can’t save you. I was there to talk to them about a relationship with Jesus Christ.”

That is the key to everything: a relationship with Jesus. The key to all good relationships is communication. The Savior of the world wants us to talk to him. He wants us to share our hearts with him. He doesn’t care if we don’t say it exactly right or can’t think of what to say. He just wants us to come to him.

Experience God for Yourself

My morning readings one day had a common theme: experiencing God through others. Both posts talked about how we limit our relationship with the Lord by just riding the coattails of others’ relationships with him. Reading Christian books and listening to edifying podcasts are great ways to build our faith, but we should not neglect the original connections—reading the Bible (God’s Word to us) and praying (our way to connect with him). We can have a one-on-one, personal relationship with Jesus, and we should seize this opportunity with all we have!

Don’t let fear stop you from talking with the One who loves you more than anyone. He will be there for you, and he will hear you.

Dear Lord, we humbly bow before you with thanksgiving and praise. Thank you for saving us from our sins and allowing us to have a relationship with you, our Savior. Help us strengthen our faith and our connection to you every day. Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2 CSB)

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7 CSB)

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. (1 Chronicles 16:11 CSB)

The Lord is near all who call out to him, all who call out to him with integrity. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry for help and saves them. (Psalm 145:18–19 CSB)

“‘Our Father in heaven,
your name be honored as holy.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’” (Matthew 6:9–13 CSB)

Reach for More

Make prayer a priority this week. Set aside a specific time to pray. Try journaling your prayers and God’s answers to prayers to see how the Lord is active in your life. Pray in different places and at different times throughout the week. Really talk to and share your heart with the Lord.

Dana Herndon is a writer, blogger, and middle school teacher. She and her husband live in Georgia with their three children. In addition to teaching and writing, Dana loves to read, paddle board, and sometimes run. She blogs about faith, family, and enjoying the everyday life at danaherndon.com.

Photograph © Shaun Menary, used with permission