Prayer is one of the most powerful forms of communication known to mankind because it connects us to our heavenly father. Life on earth can be hazardous on a spiritual level, and as believers, we depend on regular conversations with God to keep us plugged in to him. One thing many people may not know is that there is a right way and a wrong way to pray. When we go to God, we must remember that prayer is talking things over with him, not simply reciting a set of memorized sentences.
Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and praying helps us to maintain our spiritual compass and rudder. Because we’ll have our good days and our bad days, every prayer will be different. Religion has its own set of memorized sentences, but true prayer comes from the heart. The Lord’s Prayer was a model prayer that Jesus taught the people before his death, but his resurrection gave us the freedom to pray in his name. “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23, 24).
God longs to hear from us on a regular basis. He knows exactly what’s going on in our lives, and he wants us to come to him frequently. The more we talk with him, the better we’ll get to know him. As we spend time with him, we receive a deeper level of wisdom and spiritual discernment the world doesn’t have. “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” (Ephesians 1:17).
Conversations with others are a great way to get to know them, and conversations with God work the same way. Developing a relationship with him goes much further than simply knowing about him. Praying and meditating on his word brings us closer to him, and allows us to learn his true nature. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Reflecting on what Jesus did for us takes us to a point where we pray because we want to, not because we feel compelled to. He made it possible for us to have peace, joy, prosperity, good health, and victory over issues that defeat so many others. His will for eternal life for us doesn’t just mean eventually, but right now. “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10, NLT). Reflecting on his finished works makes our spirits rejoice, and we can’t help but worship him out of gratitude and thanksgiving.
God doesn’t want us to struggle along all by ourselves. He wants to give us input, guidance, direction, and rest from the trials we face every day. If we want an effective prayer life, we must put our hearts into it. Talking to him is guaranteed to refresh and strengthen us.