By: Katherine Ma | Outreach worker, Willowtree
Why might Christians not pray as much as they should? The Bible says to pray continually. We all know we should pray, and pray often. Yet I have heard so many people, and personally struggle, with even just remembering to pray once or twice a day. So people know they should pray, but don’t - and I think the reason is a matter of importance. Of priorities, of weight, of worth. It’s hard to admit - perhaps we just don’t pray enough because we don’t think prayer is worthy of our time.
It’s likely not a conscious thought: most people can say with conviction that prayer is of utmost importance. Instead, it’s not about needing to convince yourself with facts and knowledge, but letting it reach deep into your heart. And this is a work of only God Himself.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone” - Ezekiel 36:26
For me, this is a hard teaching. I’m the kind of person who wants to know steps 1 and 2. Who wants to know the details of the grand plan that only God knows and with infinite wisdom, has decided we are better off not knowing. I want to get from A to B; God wants me to trust Him with His own path. But eventually I accept that I can’t demand my instant gratification, but instead I am here in this present moment - broken, not yet there. So how can we pray in these places, when we know where we ought to be, but know we need to wait to be there? How do we pray in the waiting?
I don’t think I can give you a one-size-fits-all tool, but I found something that really helps me: Guided prayers. The Lord’s Prayer is a great guided prayer (after all Jesus Himself instructed His disciples to pray in this way). There are also many others found inside and outside the Bible that can serve as powerful tools in different situations. Many people are familiar with ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. However, in times where you can barely manage to fill in the blanks, you might benefit from a simple prayer like the one below.
You.
Start off with your focus on God. See the world through the lens of who He is, and you will see the world through the lens of reality.
Who is God? What qualities from Scripture do you remember about God?
Example: God, you are good. You are faithful. You are light. You are sovereign. You are always there, you are always near.
Me.
Next, be honest with where you’re at. God knows it all, and there’s no point hiding yourself. Really search your heart.
Who are you? How do you feel? What do you think about yourself?
Example: I am so broken. I feel so lost without you. I’m so sorry for what I’ve done. I need you so badly.
Please.
Don’t be afraid of asking God for anything. If you’re not sure it’s right to ask, ask it anyway and God will reveal the answer to you.
What do you want to ask God for? What does your heart want?
Example: Please, can you fix me? Can you give me joy? Can you help me to trust you when it is hard? Can you heal my hurt?
Thank you.
Finally, end with your focus on God again. Even if you can’t think of anything in the present to thank Him for, you can always thank Him for His love.
What can you thank God for? What do you actually want to thank God for?
Example: Thank you for listening to me. Thank you for being present with me. Thank you for your Son who died and rose again.
Whether or not you use this guided prayer, even if your prayer is simply ‘God, please answer me’ - be persistent in prayer, and I know God will answer you. That is not only my hope, but a promise from His Word as well.