Praying Girls By Sheila WalshSample

Day One

“God, I don’t know what to say.”

Scripture: Romans 8:26; Matthew 10:20; Galatians 4:6

When I was a kid, I remember being totally confused about this prayer thing. I was so intimidated to talk to the Creator of the universe. I was just sure that if I said the wrong thing, I’d either embarrass myself or make Him mad! Once I got over that fear and started praying, prayer still felt hard for me. I’d get bored. Or distracted. Or run out of things to say. After one of those uninspired “prayer sessions,” I muttered, “I think I stink at this.” 

Have you ever felt like you stink at prayer? You may never run out of things to say to your closest friends, but when you try to say one complete sentence to God, you totally freeze up. It’s frustrating, isn’t it? 

I want to share a verse with you that may help you the next time you try to pray. In Romans 8:26, the apostle Paul reminds us of an amazing truth: 

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. (Message) 

The beauty of this verse is that when you need God’s help but have no clue what to say, you can take a deep breath and tell Him that. Literally. You can close your eyes and say, “God, I don’t know what to say.” This verse in Romans assures us that God’s Spirit will take things from there. As you sit quietly, thinking about God, opening your hands to all that God has for you, longing for things like peace and patience and kindness to take root in you, God the Holy Spirit will whisper what you need to God the Father. 

Be honest. Be real. You don’t stink at prayer! 

God, help me to remember today that it doesn’t really matter what I say to You or how I say it. What matters is that I come to You in prayer, intentionally inviting You into my day and into my life, trusting You to help me be the kind of person You created me to be. Amen.