Walking with God.
Praying
“Don’t worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the peace of God…will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds…”
Philippians 4:6-7 (J.B. Phillips)
To follow Jesus, we seek (as He did) to be in communication with our Father. While our prayers never tell God anything new, a habit of prayer pleases Him – because His very nature is to desire relationship with those whom He has created. He wants to hear our hearts, and delights in speaking to us.
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Prayer is simply talking with God. It’s a way of sharing what’s on your heart, hearing what is on His heart and experiencing His love.
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He created us to love and He wants to share His love through relationship with us - which we are invited to when we choose to follow Him. It is through prayer that we grow closer with Him, learn who He is and understand more about who we have been created to be.
In Matthew, Jesus speaks of our value to God:
“What’s the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated... You’re worth more than a million canaries.” - Matthew 10:29-31 (MSG)The passage shows how much God values us. When we pray, we are stepping into that love and care, knowing that we are heard by the One who knows us completely.
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There are many different sorts of praying; and because this is ‘supernatural’ communication, it isn’t always easy for us where our experience is rooted in human speech. We may need to unlearn the ‘shopping list’ concept of prayer; and begin to express our love for God, learning to listen to Him, unload our fears, reflect our concerns, apologise for our failings, and partner with Him in releasing what He is seeking to do.
In the end, prayer is a state of being more than a series of appointments. The way that we develop this will vary, and our practices may change over the years. It’s good, when we can, to plan regular times that enable for us the privacy of stillness and encounter – alongside the privilege of praying with the wider Church. Different patterns, resourced by the Holy Spirit, may help us shape and enrich our praying: contemplation, praying scripture, written prayers, unknown languages, and much more.
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Building a “healthy habit” of prayer needs realism, and starting with what you can achieve. Think about when works best in the pattern of your life, a quiet place (if possible!), and look for patterns or resources with the best “fit”.
If prayer in the broadest sense is simply communication with God, then there are no limits - talk to him about anything, anywhere, anytime! But starting a habit of a regular, intentional ‘prayer time’ is also a key component in walking with God.
First Steps & Top Tips
Be realistic, start with what you can achieve
Establish a regular time that fits well with the pattern of your life; choose a quiet place
It may help to write down a plan – perhaps starting with praise, worship and thanks; saying sorry for what you’ve got wrong; and asking your Father for His help in your and others’ areas of need.
Keeping a list will help you to track answered prayer.
Some people find it helps to sit opposite an empty chair, and picture Jesus there.
Try to keep a little time just to be still and to “listen”. Write down what you hear.
Going Deeper
Whether this is your first time praying, or you've been praying for years, here are some resources we recommend:
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"How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People"
Book by Pete Greig
Heathy Habits
