Holy Habits: Prayer

My Quiet Place

Prayer

Prayer is one of the most important holy habits we can develop. I already did a series on prayer a while ago, but I would loved to go a bit deeper on how to form a well balanced prayer life. It is important to first note that God loves to hear from us whether it be a short or long prayer, well thought out or completely nonsensical. We cannot impress God with our prayer so do not feel like you have to use big words or complete sentences. The heart of your prayer is what God cares about. Short, genuine prayers from the heart are better than wordy prayers said only to "impress" God with spiritual lingo. Rest in the knowledge that our authentic prayers are sweet perfume kept by angels in heaven. 

{ Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people. Revelation 5:8 }

It does not matter what other people think about your prayer. When I pray out loud in a group, I often worry so much about what the others think of my prayer that I end up praying more to them and less to God. Stop trying to impress people with your prayer. Focus on the Lord whose opinion is the only one that matters. He does not love you any more just because your prayer is on point or any less because you stumble over a few words. 

This past January, the concept of prayer hit me in a fresh and powerful way. When we pray, the God of the universe, the God who saved you, the God who gives you unending mercies, the God who blessed you with every good thing, is the God who is listening to every single word you speak and rejoicing in it! In the Old Testament, incredible things like thunder, and earthquakes occurred after the men of God spoke to Him. That is how powerful prayer is! Prayer is a two-way street, when speak and God listens. Prayer is how God transforms us. Prayer is the life of God flowing through us! 

When making prayer a holy habit, it is important that we develop a well balanced prayer life. There are periods of time when I find myself only talking to God when I need something from Him or when I want to vent out my worries. God loves to hear what is on our minds, but He also wants our praise. Gratitude blesses us as well as God. Choosing to thank God for all He has given me and thanking Him in advance for how He is going to answer my requests puts my problems in the right perspective.  This is how my personal prayer life usually gets off balance. Every person is different. I often use the ACTS acronym to make sure I am making the most of my conversations with the Lord. 

Adoration is praise for who God is. When we think of praising God, we often think of thanking Him for all the gifts He has blessed us with. While that is important, our thanksgiving should go beyond gratitude for the gifts God has given us. In addition, we should praise Him for His specific attributes and character traits listed all throughout the Bible. Even if God withheld all good things from us, He is still worthy of our praise! 

Confession must be a continual part of our prayers. Just because you are saved, does not mean you no longer need to admit your sins to God and receive forgiveness. Confession involves admitting specific sins and acknowledging your need for the Holy Spirit's help in changing. Jesus' work is finished on the cross. Christians do not need to confess every single sin in order to get into heaven. The point of confession is to admit you are weak and the God is strong. We need God's grace and forgiveness everyday. We need to Holy Spirit's help in order to overcome sin and please God. 

Thanksgiving should also be apart of your prayers. Unlike adoration, thanksgiving involves thanking God for what He is done. This is a great way to reflect on God's faithfulness. Thanksgiving eliminates worry and gives us confidence that God is able to handle our past, present, and future. Thank God for who and what He has put into your life. Thank Him for the good times and the bad. Thank Him for what He has a saved you for and what He has saved you from. 

Supplication involves presenting our requests to God. This is generally the "easiest" part for us. Even though God knows the very debts of our heart, it is important that we ask God for your specific needs whether they be spiritual or physical. Also, do not forget to present the request of others before God! Supplication reflects our dependence on God and results in more thanksgiving and adoration!

Prayer requires commitment. Sometimes prayer can become a burden to believers more than a privilege. Remember, prayer is a gift from God. When Jesus died on the cross, He opened up this form of communication. While you are talking to the God of the universe when you pray, you are also talking to your friend who delights in hearing your voice.

Despite this good news, Christians often forget that they can talk to God anytime, anywhere. Try placing notes in your car, wallet, or mirror to remind you to pray. Choose three times a day (morning, noon, and night) to go before God in prayer. Set alarms on your phone. Sometimes associating specific landmarks with a specific prayer request can trigger reminders as well. There are multiple methods of praying as well. Try journaling a prayer to God. Perhaps use written prayers or words from a hymn. Also, consider the prayers recorded in the Bible (John 17, Ephesians 1:15-23, or Colossians 1:9-14). Practice any one of these disciplines and see how it affects your attitude, words, actions, and thoughts. 

By developing the holy habit of prayer, we can experience the joy of the companionship and communication we have with the Lord. Delight yourself in the Lord and enjoy His delight. 

{ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 }

The Girl Next Door