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Learning to Pray
When I first became a Christian I moved around the country so much that I never got plugged into church. I eventually drifted away until my divorce. Then I rededicated my life to Christ and began going to church. Before I really got involved much, I would pray all the time….as if I was talking to a friend….a really, really powerful, holy friend. I felt I communed with Him most of my day. But as I continued going to church regularly and getting plugged in I began listening to others’ prayers and they didn’t sound like mine. They sounded so……eloquent and religious. So as people prayed I took note and altered my prayers to fit so I wouldn’t sound stupid when praying in front of others. The only problem is that I went from communing with God to saying religious phrases. Further along in my walk with God I realized my prayer life was empty so I got book after book on prayer. It got way more complicated through my reading. Rules, rules, rules. Prayer started feeling like a burden and I just did it to check it off my list and get on with the day. I felt I should pray but didn’t really see the point anymore.
Finally I came to God and prayed, “I don’t know how to pray or where to begin but I want to have intimacy with You.” Day after day that’s where I started and then let the Spirit guide me from there. It has been a freeing experience and God is teaching me a lot through this. I have realized that I don’t have to edit my prayers. I can tell Him exactly how I really feel (do we think He doesn’t already know?). I can tell Him I don’t have a grateful heart, that I’m not content, that I want my own way in something. He will take those things and in His power change my heart. He loves helping His children so I can come to Him and ask Him for help. I don’t have to always have the right words or throw in religious phrases. Once again I am coming to Him and communing with Him. He is teaching me so much and doing so much in my life now!
Jeremiah 29:13, “And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”