“The Lord is near to all who call on Him.” Psalm 145:18

How To Pray

I so believe in the power of prayer! It is a lifeline to me—from my heart to the Father. But sometimes I just don’t know what to pray. With all the trials I’ve faced, I sometimes run out of words. I prayed every prayer I could think of about Floyd’s situation. I’ve prayed everything I can possibly think of about my battle with cancer. I’ve prayed all I know to pray about the various things family members are facing. I have prayed and prayed and prayed! Sometimes there just aren’t any more words.

A friend sent me this quote:

A grandfather was walking through his yard when he heard his granddaughter repeating the alphabet in a tone of voice that sounded like a prayer. He asked her what she was doing. The little girl explained, “I’m praying, but I can’t think of exactly the right words, so I’m just saying all the letters, and God will put them together for me, because He knows what I’m thinking.”

I loved that! I know that little girl was right. God sees our heart. He knows what we’re thinking…He knows it before we can formulate the thought. I may try praying the ABC’s. God can just translate.

There have been times, when I’ve been very weak, when all I could do was whisper short prayers—sometimes even just think them in my mind—and I’m sure God heard and understood those prayers too. He is constantly reaching out to us. He hears our faintest words lifted up to Him.

I heard Pete Greig say in his video series on prayer, “Keep it simple, keep it real, keep it up.” I’ve often followed that guideline. I pray the basics, I pray from my heart, and I just KEEP praying! That’s really all I think God asks of us. I have little to no control over the distressing situations in my life, but I can pray! I can give the situations to God, and trust Him to work on our behalf.

The Bible also says to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). To me that means that I talk to the Lord all the time—while driving, while doing chores, while exercising, even quietly when I’m shopping. I keep a running conversation going all the time with the Lord. I share my thoughts, my desires, my concerns, my burdens, my needs—I tell Him everything. It’s a sweet friendship and fellowship with the Lord as I talk to Him continually.

And I don’t think God minds if we repeat a prayer over and over. I think of the persistent widow in the Bible who wouldn’t give up asking for justice (Luke 18:1-8). I’m sure she must have asked the same thing over and over. It wasn’t the wrong thing to do. She did the three things I mentioned above that Pete shared…and her request was granted.

I’ve often wondered, too, if there is a wrong way to pray. I’m not sure, but I doubt it. I know for sure that we can’t demand things! But I think as long as we speak from our heart, God is always listening. Over and over the Bible encourages us to ask. “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2).

I read an article about “prayer insecurity.” If only I’d prayed harder. Maybe I’m not praying right. Maybe my prayers aren’t powerful enough. I don’t think God looks at it that way. He looks at the intent of our hearts—and hears what we can’t even verbalize.

I also think that sometimes our prayers are being answered and we’re not aware of it. I’m sure that is happening on my journey. I know I can’t see all that God is doing. I know God hears all of our prayers, and that He’s working on our behalf. I can’t see it, but I trust all that He is doing.

According to those who count these things, pray/prayer, etc. is mentioned a few hundred times in the Bible. If that’s the case, then it must be very important for us to do. So I’m going to keep praying –even when I don’t have all the words to pray!

Father, help us not be discouraged when we don’t receive answers to our prayers. Help us to pray in a way that pleases You. Amen.