Prayer! After years of writing, reading, and praying about prayer as one of the pillars of spiritual growth, I must admit that there are always discoveries to be made. I am still convinced that it is a wonderful spiritual discipline that anyone can practice. Indeed, people all over the world pray to believers of different cultures, backgrounds, ages, financial situations, etc. They pray to God or a higher being. Yet, if you ask most people what prayer is, you will get many different answers. In this series, I will discuss prayer and the actions to take after praying.
What is prayer?
Prayer can take many forms and have unique meanings for each individual. It can be seen as a way to connect with a higher power, to find comfort in times of doubt and distress, or to strengthen one’s spirituality. Some people view prayer as a religious practice, while others simply see it as a time of contemplation and reflection.
As I like to repeat, for us Christians, prayer is a conversation with God as you speak to your most intimate friend. You hide nothing from Him. You bring into this conversation joy, sorrows, requests, praises, gratitude, and supplication. You open your heart and you are as authentic and sincere as possible. After all, God knows you better than you know yourself and can read the depths of your heart. What is the point of pretending then?
Can everyone pray?
The beauty of prayer lies in its simplicity and accessibility. It does not require specific skills, advanced knowledge, or adherence to a certain faith. Prayer can be a way to find a space of inner calm and to refocus on what is essential, the voice of God in one’s life.
If you are new to prayer and have questions, I want to help make prayer simple for you. I invite you to see prayer as an invitation from God to join Him in a relationship of communion.
In our Christian communities, our times of prayer are accompanied by singing, Bible reading, and witnessing. Think of our fasts and our weekly worship services at church. However, prayer can also be silent, where thoughts and intentions are simply directed to God, regardless of our theological or linguistic skills.
What are the benefits of prayer?
The practice of prayer has many benefits for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
On a physical level, prayer can help reduce stress and anxiety. Indeed, God invites us to bring all our worries to Him because He will take care of us. Knowing that the King of the universe carries our worries should take away our stress.
From a mental perspective, prayer can bring a sense of calm and clarity. By detaching from daily concerns and connecting with our God, one can find inner peace and peace of mind. Prayer can also help develop concentration and mental discipline, allowing one to focus on positive thoughts and high intentions.
On a spiritual level, prayer nourishes our relationship with God and develops our faith. It is a way to connect with our Heavenly Father, cultivate gratitude for what He accomplishes in our lives, and feel supported by His almighty strength. Furthermore, we must understand that when we pray, we often develop greater inner peace, and appeasement in the face of difficulties.
Prayer can also help us develop compassion, love, and acceptance toward ourselves and others. Indeed, as we spend time with God, we tend to become more like Him. Because He is love, we also become loving beings.
A spiritual discipline to practice regularly
Whatever form prayer takes for you, it is important to practice it authentically, by your beliefs and values. Think of prayer as a time when you join God in sharing your heart and listening to His. Even if you have needs, prayer is first and foremost a relationship between you and God to know His will and do it.
Some people approach prayer with preconceived ideas about prayer and God. Some fear that their prayer will not be heard, or that prayer must be done in a certain way or at a certain time of day. Some even feel a lack of confidence in themselves to pray.
6 Wonderful Truths About Prayer
If you are one of those people and you have questions about prayer or are hesitant to pray, that’s okay. Let me show you how you can start praying today and participate in His fellowship. Here are some wonderful truths I want to share with you. Remember:
- Prayer is simply communion with God. It is involving your whole being with God. The mystery of prayer is this: How can a human being devote himself entirely to God and commune with Him? The answer is that it is rather God communing with you and you cooperating with Him during the time you spend with Him. Prayer is a two-way relationship with the greatest friend there is.
- Prayer can happen anywhere and anytime. You can pray silently, in your car, in the shower, at a board meeting, or a football game. Prayer is talking to God about anything, and it can happen anywhere. There are no rules about where or when prayer can happen.
- Your prayer doesn’t have to be perfect. There are no perfect words to pray to God. He understands your heart and your words perfectly. No eloquent speech is necessary. You don’t need a degree to pray. Jesus being your sacrifice qualifies you to pray.
- Prayer can be a silent practice. Many people sit in silence and pray in their hearts. They may only whisper a word because the emotions are so raw. God can connect with these emotions even if these believers never say a word. This is also prayer. Tears shed in silence are powerful words that only God understands, and He considers them precious prayers.
- You can write your prayers. You can write your prayers. To do this, you get a prayer journal and write down what you want to say to God. When you are finished, you wait to hear an answer, and then you write down what you believe God has said to you.
- Prayer is intentional. Find a quiet, intentional place to pray. This could be in your bedroom, on your favorite chair in the house, on your patio, lying in bed, doing prayer walks, or in an enclosed space. Go to that place so you won’t be distracted. Make it your sacred place where you meet with God.
As I conclude this first article in this new series, I would like you to remember this: prayer is your conversation with God. It is a deep expression of your heart to God. It represents your time of meeting with Him in a secret place.
