Let’s Not Make Prayer Complicated
Sometimes we make prayer more complicated than it is. It’s not a formal conversation in which we’re compelled to repeat spiritual-sounding words.
For years I felt like a freshman in the school of prayer. I felt I had so much to learn in order to do it right. If I missed the mark, my prayers would waste both my breath and God’s time, and my best intercessory efforts would score a failing grade.
Keeping prayer simple
Sometimes we make prayer more complicated than it is. It’s not a formal conversation in which we’re compelled to repeat spiritual-sounding words. Neither is it a case of tiptoeing into God’s presence hoping He’s available and willing to listen.
Prayer is a heart-to-heart connection in which we come into God’s presence assured of His welcome:
“Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” (Ephesians 3:12 NLT).
Imagine God bending down with His arms outstretched toward you, like a father beckoning his toddler to run to him. That’s the welcome Christ’s followers receive when we pray.
Prayer is communicating with our Father
My fear of missing the mark in prayer dissipated when I realized how much the heavenly Father longs for connection with His kids. He wants us to pour out our hearts when we feel grieved or disappointed. To tell Him when we’re afraid. To share our delights and joys with Him. He wants to be a part of our life. He wants to be our life.
Some days—or life seasons—we enjoy chunks of uninterrupted time in conversation with the Lord. Other days and seasons, the thought of an uninterrupted quiet space defies imagination. That’s when we can rest assured that we can carry on a meaningful conversation with God even in the midst of real-life busyness.
Talk with God even in the mundane
Living in a sailboat means I use the marina’s laundromat. Walking back and forth to the laundromat on wash day provides a perfect opportunity to talk with God. Folding clothes, cutting veggies for salad, mixing ingredients for a baking project, driving to the grocery store, and walking for exercise—these ordinary moments become sacred moments when bathed in conversation with Almighty God.
Speak and listen
Prayer needn’t be complicated. It’s not about trying to impress God or twist His arm or tell Him how to do His job. It’s about heart-to-heart communication. Back and forth conversation. Speaking and listening. It’s responding to our heavenly Father who stoops to love us and waits to welcome us with open arms. How sweet is that?
Question
What ordinary moments become sacred moments for you?
Know you are loved,
Grace
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Yes Grace! So, so true. I love those precious conversations with God In the middle of doing life! Some of my most profound times of meeting with God have been when my hands were covered with tomatoes while making salsa, while working in my garden, or walking down our country road enjoying His creation. Numerous songs have been born as I have found Him waiting for my heart to turn to Him while doing some mundane task. He is always there…waiting to pour into us of Himself, His truth and His blessings!
Thanks for posting, Cyndi. I so agree with you–that some of the most precious conversations with happen in the middle of doing life. He wants to communicate with us, and He’s perfectly able to do that. We just need to have hearts in tune with His.
I can confirm your sharing for God also communicates with us in our ordinary situations without us anyway. As the Word says, “Before we call..”
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Winsome. Gratefully, we serve a God who knows our needs and concerns before we even voice them. And gratefully, He invites us to bare our hearts to Him. He wants connection with us. How blessed we are!
I am grateful God will accept my different types of prayers. The best ones are when you can be un-distracted, but Life isn’t always like that! I have started to ask Him to bless the child who’s water bottle I am filling in the morning at work. (One of my morning duties) I also thank Him when a song comes on the radio as I am driving to or from somewhere, that reminds me He loves me, or that He is preparing a place for me to live with Him in Heaven some day soon.
Hi Mari-ellen. Having those undistracted times of prayer are wonderful, but you’re right–life doesn’t always give us that privilege. Young moms can testify to that (how well I remember those days). I often think about people who are sick or in a valley of discouragement, or sitting by the bedside of a loved one who’s critically ill or injured. It’s so hard to focus in times like that. We can still pray but our prayers will sound a lot different than when we have those undistracted experiences. God hears them anyway, and He answers even if we can barely utter two words. “Jesus, help!”
HI. Good remarks to Mari-ellen, (agree how different r prayers, when are
different situations); ie, as when “in a valley” ,of illness/pains, & various
discouragments. YES, as in song :I BELIEVE, …the smallest prayer will
still be heard” ! Need remind self, –His word (scripture) : on the making
request “with Thanksgiving”. ❣