Prayer. It's so simple. We all know how to pray, right? We probably did it almost every night when we were little kids. "Get ready for bed. Brush your teeth," our parents would say. "Remember to say your prayers!" So obediently (or maybe grudgingly) we'd kneel beside our bed and fold our hands. "Our Father, Who art in heaven..." Or maybe it was "God bless mommy, and daddy..." Or maybe we didn't pray at all...
Eventually, though, we grew up, and prayer became less of a routine and more of an occasional necessity. We found ourselves returning to prayer only during holiday meals or in times of desperation and crisis.
Regardless of how often we may or may not pray, it's a simple thing to do. Just talk to God, right? How hard could it be?
So if we all know how, why don't we do it more often? Why is it usually our last resort instead of our first thought? Why are over 75% of pastors across America - yes, pastors - very dissatisfied with their prayer life?
The answer is simple: because things get wearisome when we don't see prayer making a difference in our daily lives. Oh, it's fine for the next guy, but you see it really doesn't work for me. Been there. Done that. Outgrew the t-shirt.
Or maybe you tend to be the "fix-it" type. Why pray about something you can solve yourself? God doesn't really care about the little things anway, right?
The secret to effective and rewarding prayer - a prayer experience that energizes and enhances your life - is to understand who you are as a child of God. If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you are a kingdom heir! You have the full rights and privileges afforded the child of a king!
We don't have to pray and only hope that God will hear us. We can KNOW that He hears us and will not delay in coming to our rescue! We must learn to believe and trust in the power of simple prayer.
Prayer is simply a conversation with your Father, who just happens to be the Creator of the universe! He's waiting for us to come to Him and talk about how our life is going.
Think of a close, personal friend whom you talk frequently. Maybe it's your spouse, or someone else you've known for years. How do you feel after having a good, long, soul-baring conversation? Energized? Relieved? Encouraged?
That is the essence of prayer. It's a two-way dialogue between friends. Did you know that Scripture tells us that we are called "friends of God"? Once we understand the nature and authority of our relationship, then we're ready to implement a few practical steps to appropriate the power of God into our daily prayer life.
First, we must believe in God's ability to meet our need. Hebrews 14:16 tells us that God is always ready and willing to help us when we need it. There's nothing too small for God to notice or too big for Him to handle.
Second, we must realize that we can pray at any time and anywhere. We don't have to wait until we're at church or some quiet location. I've often offered a quick prayer to God right when the need presented itself. He doesn't expect our prayers to be long and complicated, and they certainly don't have to be eloquent. He just expects them to come from the heart.
Finally, don't be afraid to be persistent. A consistent prayer life not only develops our faith and strengthens our character, it also moves the heart of God.
And as we pray, we must remember the truth of Hebrews 10:23-24. "Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise."
So in those times when we wonder where God is and if He's actually heard us, we can remind ourselves of those three "F's" of Scripture we've already mentioned. God is a loving Father who cares for us deeply, His Word is always faithful, and He will always answer us because He chose to call us friends.
So, when's the last time you prayed? Why not give it a try today? God is just waiting to hear from you!