How to Pray

Why Pray?

It's been said that the root of addiction is trying to solve inward problems with outward solutions. The distraction, sedation and escapism that the world offers does little to calm the storms that can rage in our hearts and minds. The problems of the heart demand heart solutions, and foremost among them is to feel a connection to the loving presence of our heavenly Father. King David had the wisdom to discern that this was his true source of soul food. In Psalm 63:1, he writes...

‍"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water."

Prayer is about spending time talking to God. When you intentionally withdraw to "quiet and lonely places" and open your heart to God in faith, you will encounter Presence, not absence. That's what sustained Jesus, and that's what will sustain you and me. It also helps to remember that God delights in spending time with you!

How to Pray?

In an age of distraction, prayer is difficult. Prayer takes practice. The more you pray, the easier it gets. Here are three tips to power up your prayer life.

1. Pray with Others

When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, he taught them the Lord's prayer, which begins with the word "Our." Jesus intended for us to pray alongside other believers. So find a prayer partner or join a prayer group, and experience the joy of praying together!

2. ACTS

The acronym ACTS - which stands for adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication - can be a helpful format for prayer.

‍Adoration: It's important to remember who it is you are speaking to - the Creator of heaven and earth! What an incredible privilege! As you meditate on who He is and what He has done, you will naturally enter into a posture of adoration.

‍Confession: Only the pure in heart will see God (Matt 5:8). If you have put your faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ, you have been made clean. But we still stumble daily even as we are in the process of being made perfect. That's why confession is important - to acknowledge, learn from and turn from our sins, so that we may enter into the presence of a Holy God.

‍Thanksgiving: The very air that fills your lungs at this moment is a gift from God. A posture of thanksgiving is just basic courtesy.

‍Supplication: God is a loving heavenly Father and the Good Shepherd who delights in meeting our needs. Don't be shy about bringing your requests before God.

3. Praying the Scriptures

Finally, consider using the Scriptures as a springboard for prayer. Just pick a passage, speak the verses out loud and let each verse guide a few minutes of prayer. After all, when you pray the Scriptures, you are speaking out the mind of God.

In conclusion, when you invest in prayer, it will become a sanctuary that you regularly return to, a banquet table that feeds your soul and a well that never runs dry. Whether it's praying with others, using the ACTS template or praying the Scriptures, prayer can become a delight to those who persevere in it. Far from being a duty, a chore or a performance, prayer can become about delighting in the presence of the One who delights in you.