Tips on How to Pray
Prayed but not sure 'how' to pray?
Never prayed before?
Uncomfortable praying aloud with others?
Do you pray with your spouse?
There's really no 'right' way to pray. Prayer is simply a way to communicate with God. The Bible is full of examples of Jesus praying to God. There are different types of prayer - corporate or group prayer, specific or intentional prayer where you pray for a particular thing or things, and personal prayer where you spend one-on-one time with the Lord. There are volumes of books and articles about prayer. Here's a little different twist on personal prayer and how to pray to God Almighty.
Again, prayer is a form of communication with God ... however, it is 2-way communication, not just 1-way. Set aside some quiet time and ask God: "What do you want me to praise you for today?" THEN WAIT. Wait for God to answer! He will bring to your mind His answer. Wait until that still small voice brings His answer. You may get one answer, you may get three or four ... just wait. Then pray!
God knows what He wants you to pray for more than YOU do! Don't fall into the rut of just praying real quick before you rush out the door to work, thanking God for the day and asking Him to keep you safe, protect your family, etc. -- saying basically the same thing every prayer. Commit to that one-on-one time with the Lord. James 5:16 says, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
It is such a gift to be able to pray and communicate with God.
Ask God:
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"Who do I need to pray for today, Lord?"
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"God, who do you want me to encourage today?"
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"What are my needs today?"
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"Is there someone that I have offended?"
Wait for God to answer and then pray according to His answer.
Also:
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Confess any sin you have committed.
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Praise Him for what He has done and continues to do in your life.
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Thank Him for all He has provided, especially His Word and His saving grace.
The main thing to remember is God knows your heart. He knows you better than you know yourself and He knows your needs more than you do, so be honest and sincere. He wants to hear from you just as any parent wants to hear from their child. The more you pray, the closer you will be to Him and the easier it becomes to communicate with Him.
Lastly, grow closer to God throughout the day. Try listening to an online sermon, participate in a Bible study, or listen to a Christian radio station as another form of encouragement to keep your mind on the Lord instead of things of this earthly world.
... but God knows ...
Pray one for another: A friend shared this story about his personal prayer time:
One morning while praying I asked God, "Who would You like for me to encourage today?" When God answered "your neighbor" I felt a little uneasy because not only is my neighbor a woman but I didn't know her very well.
Encourage her, but how?
My neighbor and I are like most everyone else these days--you drive out of your garage to go to work all day; drive home, pull in the garage, and you don't see or really know anyone in your neighborhood. This is what every day's like, an exact repeat without interacting.
I certainly didn't feel comfortable sending her a card (from a MAN? What would she think?).
So … I waited.
The next day while doing my daily reading, from my window I saw my neighbor outside.
I decided to finish reading and go talk with her,
... but by the time I was finished she was gone.
The next day I made it a point to be outside about the time she normally got home.
My son and I were hitting golf balls when she arrived home. To my surprise, she saw us outside and came over to say "hello".
After talking for a while, I told her that God had laid it on my heart to pray for her.
Suddenly the neighbor began spilling her guts on everything that was going on in her life!
She did need prayer!
Someone I wouldn't normally have even thought about praying for, my next door neighbor ...
... but God knew.