I grew up in a house with praying parents. As a little girl, I remember my mom praying regularly. I don’t recall if there was a specific time of day, but it was a regular occurrence to see my mom kneeling at the couch or on the edge of her bed. She would take her glasses off and sit them in front of her before starting her prayer. I heard her quote scriptures, cry, tell God about her concerns or simply move her lips silently. While she prayed, she would always sway her bottom back and forth. I used to love to sit on her back and ride back and forth as she offered up praise to God.
When it came time for me to pray on my own, I remember trying to emulate my mom’s style. I would try to use the same inflections and grandiose sayings that sounded good and holy. I attempted to say the same scriptures and even sway back and forth. Only thing is, it didn’t feel right. It felt forced. I knew that prayer was talking to God, but I hadn’t learned how to talk to Him in my own way. So, one day I asked my mom, “how do I pray?”
You may be wondering the same thing or just needing direction on how to pray to God during a difficult time. I’m sharing what my mother taught me as well as what I’ve learned along the way:
- Start with praise and thankfulness for all God has done – Psalms 107:1 says, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever.” God is all-knowing, all-powerful and worthy of all the praise. You are turning to Him in prayer because you know He can take care of every single thing in your life. Therefore, always show Him honor and reverence by giving thanks first. Gratitude accompanies true prayer.
- Ask for forgiveness – Matthew 6: 14 says, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Before Jesus died on the cross, priests would make sacrifices before going to God in prayer on behalf of those asking for the forgiveness. Jesus is now our great High Priest who intercedes on our behalf. Therefore, when we confess our sins to Him and ask for forgiveness, we are cleansing our hearts before making any requests before God. It’s a matter of bringing Him our best self; a pure, clean heart that is ready to receive direction and correction from God.
- Tell Him everything – Philippians 4:6 says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.” I initially thought telling God everything was a bit silly because if He knows everything, why do I need to tell him everything? But telling God everything shows that I trust Him in all things and nothing is off limits in our relationship. He has full reign over every detail of my life and telling Him about it demonstrates my dependency on Him. We are not meant to go through our trials alone. He wants us to cast all of our cares upon Him because He cares for us.
- Listen for God’s response – 1 Samuel 23:2 says “So David inquired of the Lord saying, ‘Shall I go and attack these Philistines?’ And the Lord said to David, ‘Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah.’” David prayed; God responded. One of the leaders at my church, Minister Jennifer, explained it best: prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue. Therefore, we don’t just pour out our heart to God and walk away. We listen for His response. Just as we talk about our issues with a trusted friend or advisor, you wait for their response because you value their guidance. It’s the same with God. If you’re praying for wisdom or direction, how do you expect to receive it if you don’t wait and listen for a response? It may not come right away but after you seek God, you should have an expectant spirit that He will answer.
You may still be thinking, “I want to pray but I just have the words.” When you’re not sure what to say, pray God’s word back to Him. Crack open your Bible (or pull up your Bible app) and as you read, say the words out loud. A great place to start is in Psalms because it is the book of praises. Several Psalms were written by David who cried out to God when facing various points of difficulty in his life.
Prayers to God don’t have to be perfectly articulate or poetic. Just talk to Him. The more you do it, the easier it will become. I journal a lot of my prayers so I can stay focused on Him and write down His responses. Here are some prayers to help you get started!
Prayer for Justice
Father, thank you for being a God who sees all and knows all. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins. I repent for my sinful thoughts and I ask you to create in me a clean heart. Lord, my heart grieves for the injustices in the world. I’m hurt and it feels unfair. Your word says, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” so I am trusting that you will do what is right. I know my view is finite, and there is so much more going on. I need your help to walk in joy right now. In your mighty name I pray, Amen!
Prayer for Healing
Thank you, Jesus, for a new day. Thank you for a roof over my head, food on my table, electricity in my home and water to drink. Lord, while these may seem like basic needs, I don’t want to take anything for granted. Please forgive me for my wrongful thoughts and actions. Lord, I’m praying for healing. You died that we might have life more abundantly. I believe that abundant life also means abundant health. Your word also says that by your stripes, we are healed. Father, I need to walk in that promise of healing. I need your power to move throughout my body and take away anything that is hindering your purpose for my life. Let your healing power flow! Give me wisdom on what I need to do differently to help change what is happening in my body. Give the doctors and nurses wisdom as well as they help me. Let them be an extension of your hands and power on earth. I believe that you are a Healer and I am healed in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer for Wisdom
Hi God. Thank you for another day of life and breath. Thank you for the ability to see your goodness in the land of the living. Father, I am coming to you to ask for wisdom and direction. There are several roads I want to take but I don’t want to be out of your will for my life. I don’t know what to do and your word says not to lean to my own understanding. Therefore, I’m coming to you to ask that you make my path straight and plain. Lord, help me to see what action I need to take to progress in your purpose for my life. Direct my steps Lord, as only you can do and remove anything that tries to hinder the favor of God on my life. I look forward to seeing where you will have me to go. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!
Prayer for Mending a Broken Heart
Jesus, thank you for allowing me to come boldly to the throne of grace. I’m bringing my hurt heart to you. Sometimes . . . the hurt seems too great. But Father, I know nothing is greater than you. I will not make decisions based on my emotions. As you help me heal, also help me forgive the person who hurt me. It’s uncomfortable and confusing, but I know you require us to forgive those who have wronged us. I need your help with that though because my side-eye game is strong! This is hard but your word says that in Christ, I can do all things. Lord, please comfort me and help me to recover from this pain. Thank you for hearing my cries and capturing every tear. Amen.
If you are needing prayer for anything, please feel free to email me privately at 3rd.blessing17@gmail.com so I can pray for you.
1 comment
Love that you left prayers 🙌🏽❤️