How to Pray Well
All of us are busy. Life is busy…especially during the holiday season. God continues to tell us to come to Him…with everything. But how, when our to-do list is a mile long?? Read on to learn how prayer can be woven in the fabric of everyday life – even in the midst of the crazy busy!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6
A dear mentor during my college years, 65 year old Peggy, ignited my passion for prayer. She always referred to her conversations with God with great reverence and familiarity.
For crying out loud, it’s hard to get over the privilege of talking to the One who spoke majestic mountains, vast seas, and humanity into being. And He has things to say to ME, so I get to hear from Him (mainly by reading His words in scripture).
However sometimes I forget to talk with The Creator about things and I get all panicky because I don’t see how a situation is going to work out. Shoot…reality hurts!
As parents we would prefer to pass along a legacy of prayer to our children vs one of panic and angst. Here are some ways we can aim for a legacy of prayer:
- Just do it. Thank God for meals. Ask God to draw you closer to Him. Thank God for green lights. Confess and ask forgiveness for a bad attitude. Ask God where your phone “keeps hiding from you around the house”. Ask for God’s help when you don’t know what to do. Do all of this out loud where the kids can hear.
- Give your kids chances to pray. Maybe they repeat a prayer phrase by phrase after you. They can have a chance to thank God for the family’s meal. Before bedtime they can ask for help with a situation at school or with friends. Whatever they’re up for saying to God is ok…He doesn’t give us grades for prayers, so we shouldn’t feel the pressure to “correct” a child’s prayer either.
- Keep a faithfulness jar. This is a way to keep up with how God personally answers prayers and shows His faithfulness in your family’s life. It can be a box, jar, old, new, a legal pad…whatever can be accessible and visible by everyone in the family. Everyone can add to or stop by and read the entries at any point.
- Keep visible reminders. Whether it is a bracelet, a post-it note on a mirror, or a physical scar…intentionally use visible things to remind you to pray for people and situations.
Prayer helps us keep perspective of Who is in charge and Who can, will, and does take care of us. Let’s get to praying!
Camper Corner:
Is it hard or easy for you to pray? Feel like you’re talking to the ceiling? Have you watched War Room? It’s a story of how prayer can work in people’s lives. Good stuff – promise! We have a God who loves us and wants the very best for us…we can talk to Him about A N Y T H I N G! Go ahead. Give it a shot!
