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6 Ways to a Better Prayer Life

What is Prayer?

According to Britannica, prayer is an act of communication by humans with the sacred or holy - God.

Simply put:

Prayer is a reverent request made to God.

As a born-again Christian, I will look at prayer today from that perspective. Prayer is a dialogue. It is a communication with the God I love and trust. Prayer is my reaching out to the one that created me, who hears my prayers and answers my prayers.

Prayer is a conversation I pursue to get to know God better because He already knows everything there is to know about me.

Prayer is speaking one-on-one with God and is easily one of the most powerful and satisfying things that I can do as a Christian.

Prayer is a chance to calm my ever-busy mind. It's an opportunity to gain clarity and anchor my spirit. It's a moment to realign my priorities and renew my strength.

Prayer can be a request for help from God, a time of giving thanks for all the blessings He's provided, or just a time of worship and praise.

Prayer for me is a moment to surrender myself and seek God's will for the day and the lives of those I pray for. That means I have to spend as much or more time listening as talking.

What Prayer Is Not.

Prayer is not a monologue. You don't fire off a list of needs and wants, stop, and hurry out the door to start your day.

Prayer is not a Hail Mary pass. It's not a last-minute attempt at a resolution when everything else YOU have attempted failed.

Prayer is not a vending machine. You don't just insert your wish into the slot and reach down below to grab your selection.

Prayer is not a tool to get even or to ask harm to come upon someone that treated you unfairly.

Prayer is not a task. It is not something we check off on our to-do list of what it takes to be a good person. It's not a stepping stone to get God to like us. He already LOVES us, unconditionally. 

I have often been asked by others to pray for them - pray for their health, pray for their marriage, pray for a job they are hoping for or success in one they already have, and almost any other area of life that may trouble them.

I am always honored and glad to pray for them. I don't need all the details to pray for others. God knows those. It is one of the best prayers of all to pray and delivers such joy when I see those prayers answered.

But the truth of the matter is God wants all His children to pray. Just like I treasure talks, phone calls, or texts from my daughter or son, God wants to commune with His children even more than I do my own. 

"For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God." 

-Saint Teresa of Avila

One of the most famous of all prayers is the Lord's Prayer. It's been recited by people of all types of faith levels for thousands of years. It appears twice in the Bible in the gospel of Matthew first and then later in Luke:

Jesus said, "After this manner therefore pray ye:"

That means He gives us an outline to follow when praying more than just words to repeat. It gives us a formula that is a wonder in its simplicity.

1. Who to call on. "Our Father which art in heaven". It's the authority we are reaching out to for assistance. It can be "Dear God", "My Lord", "Heavenly Father", etc. In my family, I can be "Dad", "Pops", "Boppa" and others. I answer to them all.

2. Why I'm calling on Him. "Thy Kingdom come", "Thy will be done", "give us this day our daily bread", "forgive us", and "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil". What is in your heart and mind? Notable examples but nothing is off limits.

3. Praise for the One I'm calling on. "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever." Give a little thanks and credit to the One who has the power to both hear and answer your prayer.

Why Pray At All?

There are so many benefits to a regular ongoing prayer life. Here are just a few to encourage you:

• Prayer helps eliminate negative emotions
• Prayer strengthens our resolve and encourages a can-do mentality
• Prayer builds our faith and prepares us for life's battles
• Prayer provides navigation and purpose for our lives
• Prayer gives us a relationship with God and helps to maintain it
• Prayer introduces forgiveness for us and others
• Prayer instills hope and life without hope isn't much of a life

Regardless of these benefits and more, some people find no use in prayer. They don't believe in prayer. They used to pray but stopped. They don't believe in God. They only pray in crisis. Past prayers didn't result in the answer they wanted so why bother? And sometimes they want to pray but haven't before or it's been a long time and they don't know where to start. For those that want to start again, or improve the prayer life they have, we are going to explore some keys to having a better prayer life.

6 Ways to a Better Prayer Life

1. Just do it. 

• Prayer is not about perfection. It's a conversation with a God that loves you dearly. It's okay to have a reverent fear (because He's awesome) but remember He's also a friend in time of need.
• He's there. Always has been and always will be. I have a grandson I haven't seen in a while (teenagers have a lot of life to live). He stopped by yesterday. I welcomed him with open arms and love. He made my year. God wants to reunite with you even more.
• If it's been 10 years, 10 months, or 10 minutes since the last time you talked to God, the access is the same.
• It doesn't have to be a long prayer to matter. A simple "Lord, help me to do the right thing today." is not a bad way to start your day.

"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." 

-Luke 11:10

2. Pray all the time

• "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17
• Prayer for Christians should be just like breathing; something that takes place all day long.
• Pray for help, pray for guidance, pray for forgiveness, and pray to give thanks. Short little communications throughout the day go a long way in building a better prayer life.
• Remember He is right there with you. So much easier than a text or a call. Nothing is too big or small for Him to listen to so just take a moment.
• You can start with common times - pray when you awake, pray before meals, pray at bedtime, and grow from there

3. Pray Boldly

• He is God after all. He's the maker of heaven and earth. I think he can handle whatever is on your mind.
• "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." -Jeremiah 33:3
• "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there any thing too hard for me?" -Jeremiah 32:27
• Pray in faith. Many prayers go unanswered because of the limits on our faith not the limits on God (there are none!) "...for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."  -Hebrews 11:6
• Let go of your doubt. Believe without limitations that God is for you and with you always.

I reread the Bible cover to cover earlier this year. It had been a while and I thought it would be a great way to kick-start my year. I get to 1 Chronicles and hit the entire list of the descendants from Adam to Esau to David and on and on. This person begat this person begat this person and so on. Just a list of name after name - until I get to the fourth chapter. I arrive at verse 10 and Jabez got the entire verse to himself.

"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."

 

So, pages and pages of lineage, kings, and princes, and name after name, then a pause in the format to call out Jabez, whose claim to fame was that he prayed BOLDLY, and God granted what he requested. Jabez prayed Boldly. Just make sure you do the same and pray BOLDLY.

 

"In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him." 

-Ephesians 3:12

4. Pray Thankfully

• Begin your prayers thanking God for all you have. Listing things that have already been provided sets a firm foundation for believing that more to be thankful for is possible.
• Being thankful sets our mind on heavenly things above and negates the negative things that demand our attention.
• "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."  -Philippians 4:6
• Give thanks for what He is going to do. That takes faith.

5. Pray Simply

• God is not impressed by the size and amount of the words you use. God looks at your heart.
• When all else is forgotten, follow these two rules: Pray in faith, and pray sincerely
• "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."  -Matthew 6:7
• Don't wait until you have the right words. "...but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."  -Romans 8:26
• You don't have to impress God (or others). God looks at your heart. This is especially true sometimes during group prayer situations when it seems everyone tries to be more eloquent than the last person.

 

6. Pray Persistently

• Set aside some of your prayer time and space as a routine. I look forward to going into my office each morning and spending some time in prayer BEFORE I look at my phone, check my emails, and so on. Other prayer times are more spontaneous throughout the day
• Prayer is not just a desirable bonus to the Christian life but an essential part
• Don't quit because the answer takes too long, or you feel your prayers aren't answered. Trust in God's wisdom and timing.
• Value the connection with God. Pray with the belief that God is good, God knows more than me, and that God wants what's best for me.

Prayer is essential and life-changing. Prayer sets the tone for your life and the challenges it presents. Strong prayer requires faith. See "A Matter of Faith". 

Remember to pray with purpose and meaning, sincerity and thankfulness, and anticipation of a growing relationship with God who created you.

Go ahead.

He's listening.