Prayer is often viewed as a 1-way conversation. It is something that many of us were taught is the "right thing to do". General situations that call for prayer are family gatherings, before a meal, getting up in the morning, or before we go to bed.
Another area we often see prayer is when we are in need of something. A promotion, loan approval, for there to not be traffic on our way to work when we’re running late. We also see prayer a lot in our times of struggle or when we face a challenge. For instance when a loved one is ill, when we are on our last dollar, or when we are experiencing heartbreak.
The good news is that God is available for all the above and hears us. These, however, reflect a one-way and one-sided prayer practice and relationship. Today we’re diving into how to take that even deeper.
Now you may be saying, take it deeper? Why? I pray every day before I go to bed, I give thanks, and I’m good! But what if we viewed talking to God as less of a formal ceremonious task and rather, a chat with a good friend?
He is here and wants to hear it all. Psalms 34:1 says I will exolt the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
We should be in constant conversation with him. Telling him about our day, our thoughts, our doubts, praising His name, and giving thanks. Nonstop. Speak to Him while you’re driving to work, eating lunch, watching the game, taking a shower. He wants to know what’s going on with you and wants to hear from you. So let’s talk to our Father.
We mentioned before that many prayer practices are one-sided. As much as we want to talk to God, He also wants to speak to us. We just need to give Him the space. This means learning to sit in stillness. He commands us to “Be still, and know that I am God;- Psalm 46: 10 NIV. Sometimes we have too much going on in our lives to hear when he speaks to us. So slow down, take a few breaths, and listen.
Try setting aside time for Him, in consecration to hear and to listen- without asking for anything. It’s okay to start small and build! Try 5 minutes a day to sit in silence and open yourself to
Everyone is at different points in their walk and relationship with Christ. Always reflect on where you have come, honor that, and look for ways to continue growing.