Lord, Teach Me How to Pray
Growing up in church, I heard mixed messages about prayer. Some believed we didn’t have to constantly pray about the same things because God hears us the first time we pray, while others believed we should pray about everything, without ceasing. The opposing views were so confusing. I was left wondering, “What am I supposed to pray about?” And, “How long should I continue praying about it?” I didn’t want to insult God’s intelligence by praying for the same thing over and over but I also didn’t want Him to think I couldn’t be faithful in prayer.
My solution? For years, I didn’t bother to pray about things such as family, wealth, purpose, etc. My logic? I believed God knew about those things and what I needed Him to do on my behalf so I didn’t have to nag Him about them. Instead, I focused on praying for my daily needs such as life, health, protection, grace, etc. and the needs of others. If or when I prayed about other things, it was because I was desperate. The situation had gone beyond my control or gone on longer than I’d imagined and I needed God’s help immediately! By that point, I’d allowed time and chance an opportunity to resolve things, I’d done everything I could to fix things, or I’d lost my patience altogether and I was begging God to act.
Years passed before I finally learned the purpose and power of prayer. First, I learned that prayer isn’t for God. He’s omnipresent and all-knowing so He knows what I need before I ask (Matthew 6:8). Therefore, prayer is for me. It’s the ultimate form of therapy and self-care. It’s how I maintain my sanity and peace. It’s how I invite the Lord to bring heaven to Earth, to interfere and intervene on my behalf (Hebrews 7:25). It’s how I give Him permission to supersede the authority He gave me to use on Earth and allow His will- not mine- to be done.
The second thing I learned was that I’d been looking at prayer as a chore rather than a privilege. As a believer, I have the right to pray, and to pray with spiritual authority. Therefore, prayer was designed to be answered, to obtain results. It transforms lives, changes circumstances, offers peace, gives strength, etc. As a believer without an effective prayer life, I’d failed to access and utilize all my benefits as a child of God. And yet, the power of prayer is my inheritance!
Looking back, I wonder, “How many struggles could’ve been avoided if I’d prayed?” “How much suffering did I put myself through due to my lack of prayer?” “How many times did God want to immediately give me the answer but I didn't know it because I didn’t pray?” Learning how to pray has increased my awareness about and faith in my spiritual authority, taught me how to trust the Lord more, and helped me to better understand my purpose. Ultimately, I’ve learned that prayer isn’t an option for believers. It’s a necessity and a duty.