What does prayer mean for the Christian? You could easily fill a bookshelf with answers. Blogs, essays, videos, books, articles, sermons, one-on-one conversations… all are filled with stressing the importance of prayer in the Christian life. They also provide helpful guidelines in the pursuit of an active prayer life. In my years of ministry, I have never (that I can think of) engaged with a fellow believer who was satisfied with their prayer life. When asked about the vitality of their personal prayers, most express some sheepishness, a tacit recognition that they know the importance of prayer and their own deficiency in this area.
Count me with the crowd. Well aware of the blessings, responsibilities and joys of a faithful prayer life, I too am greatly aware of my waywardness, my failing and inadequacy in prayer.
Through the years, however, my experience in prayer has been impacted by various things. Here is a sample of some of those things which have shaped my prayer life in the past. In no particular order…
*The book that first and most powerfully impacted my prayer life is John White’s Daring to Draw Near. Rather than a manual on prayer or an encouragement to pray, White’s book examines a series of biblical prayers—Abraham’s talk with God, David’s prayer for mercy, Daniel’s plea, the Lord’s Prayer, one of Paul’s prayers from his letters. This book is inspiring, insightful, challenging and well worth your time.
*Single best advice I received: When you get distracted in prayer (which happens EVERY time), when you are called back to prayer, instead of beating yourself up (“Ugh! I’m a terrible Christian, I can’t even pray for a few minutes!”), instead, thank the Lord for drawing you back to prayer (“thank you, Lord, for reminding me that I am praying and not to be distracted.”).
*Following the ACTS model is very helpful. A=adoration; pray simply to adore God, mention His qualities, talk about Him. C=confession; acknowledge your sin and failings, and embrace His forgiveness; literally say, “thank you, Lord, for forgiving me.” T=thanksgiving; perhaps the easiest step, give thanks to God; if adoration focuses on God, thanksgiving focuses on what God has done for you; count your blessings! S=supplication; a fancy way of saying, tell God what you need, desire, want; be sure to include, not just what you want, but what you desire for others.
*There’s a reason you were taught to bow your head, fold your hands, close your eyes. Why are these important? They help minimize distractions. It is not as if God hears us any better when we close our eyes, etc., rather, we are able to focus more with less to distract us with head bowed, eyes closed, hands to self.
*Voice your prayers out loud. As above, it is hard not to get distracted. My prayers often turn into just me thinking about my day. One good way to ensure that you are still talking with the Lord in your prayers is to actually verbalize them. Speaking in sentences takes a bit of focus. Just praying in your mind is fine, but if you find yourself wandering mentally, try speaking out loud—it helps you keep on track.
*Find the right mixture between ritual and variety. Having a “sanctuary,” a specific place and time for prayer really helps, if that “sanctuary” is a particular room or chair and/or time of day, building routine helps faithfulness and focus. Yet also shift up the way you pray—sometimes focusing only on others or different countries or vocations, sometimes using others’ prayers (see The Valley of Vision), sometimes taking notes, using Scripture, singing. Intentional variety will help you focus.
There are many, many other tips that we could share. Hey! Good idea: find someone to share a tip about effective prayer with. And, of course, let’s be praying—speaking to the One who has saved us!
To prepare for worship this week, please read Philippians 1:3-11.
- Reading these verses, what prompts Paul’s prayer? What motivates him to pray? How does this contrast or support the motivations in your own experience?
- How would you characterize Paul’s attitude or emotions in prayer? What clues does he give to indicate his mental approach to God?
- Specifically, what does Paul ask God for? In the midst of all the words, what is he actually praying that God would do and/or hear?
- How does Paul’s will for the Philippians show in his prayer? How does Paul’s willingness to submit to God’s will show in this prayer?
- In what ways does this prayer function as a model for your own? In what ways is Paul’s prayer unique to Paul’s own situation?
By Henry Knapp