Prayer is communicating with God. That can mean thanking Him, praising Him, confessing something you’ve done wrong or expressing a need you have. It can mean talking to Him, or listening to Him, as you would to a friend.
Learning how to pray is really about developing a relationship with God. Relationships are built on moments of connection and communication. However, how do you do that with the God of the universe?
Prayer is a divine activity. It’s talking with, or listening to, a God who is unlike anyone else. He has a personality and qualities you can understand and relate to, but you cannot expect to relate to God in exactly the way you might to a close friend or family member. He’s so much bigger and more incredible than that.
Even if talking honestly with other people comes naturally to you, it’s understandable if talking with God feels like a steep learning curve. In fact, the disciples — Jesus’ closest followers — only asked Jesus a few questions about how to do something, one of which was "teach us how to pray."
So, let's get this right up front and centre ... know that there is no secret formula to pray. God simply delights in us coming to Him in honesty - however and wherever.
You can start by addressing God directly in a way that acknowledges His uniqueness. People will say things such as, “Father God,” “Heavenly Father” or “Almighty God.” How you choose to address Him will remind you of who you are talking to and what He represents in your life.
Anytime and anywhere can work, but I've found it helpful to find a distraction-free time and place if possible. Believe it or not, my pre-dawn running focuses my attention on God and is the place of many wonderful dialogues.
Some people create a space in their homes, like a “prayer closet,” for this purpose. Others will choose a favorite park or coffee shop.
You can bow, kneel, stand, walk around or, like me - even run. God WILL hear you whatever you do, so choose a position that helps YOU focus.
Should I pray out loud? Depending on your comfort level and situation, you can choose whether to pray out loud or silently. God will hear you.
If you are praying for someone who is physically present with you, it might encourage them to hear your faith expressed through your prayers. But if you find praying silently allows you to focus more on God, that’s okay too.
BE SURE TO ALLOW SILENCE - so you can listen to God. You’ll find it harder to hear what He is saying if you are doing all the talking.
A common way to end a prayer is by saying something like, “In Jesus NAME, Amen.” You don’t need to close every prayer with a formal ending for God to take you seriously. God is a Father who always loves hearing from His children.
In essence - pray whenever, wherever, however is most comfortable for you - believe me, our Heavenly Father WILL hear.
