Reclaimed DisciplinesSample

Prayer: Father, thank you for giving me access to you through your spirit. I want my prayer life to stem from my delight in you. Help me learn and discover how I can best draw near to you. Amen. 

Delighting in Prayer

Each one of us is different. We look different, we have different giftings, and we have different interests. In the same way, we all probably connect with God differently, and this is okay! Sometimes we believe that there is only one way to communicate with God. However, the Bible leaves the “how-to” of prayer rather open-ended. Jesus tells us what to pray for and how our prayers can be structured in the Lord’s Prayer, but He provides no one hard and fast rules on how we can do this. In the four gospels, Jesus didn’t always pray in the same place, the same way, with the same people, or even with the same words! He went to the Lord whenever and wherever He could because He delighted in the time with His Father. His ministry was dependent upon it. 

If Jesus’ ministry hinged that heavily upon His time with His Father, how much more should our ministries! We need moments with Him, but this often takes discipline. There are many ways we can come to the Lord in prayer: Maybe 20 minutes in the morning by yourself, maybe with a few friends, or maybe at the park down the street from your house. However you do it, trust that God hears you, even when you feel like you don’t have the exact words or you’re simply talking to empty air. Romans 8 encourages us that the Spirit intercedes for us in moments when we don’t know what to pray for. Remember, our goal is not to be the best “pray-er”, but to fully delight in the Lord. Carve out time that is solely for you and God and see in what ways you connect with Him best. 

Look in the Word:

1. Read Ps 86:11. Is your heart undivided for the Lord? If not, what is taking its attention over God? 
2. Looking at Ephesians 3:14-19. How might praying to better grasp the love of God change your walk with Christ? 

What’s Next?

1. Here are some ideas for prayer. Choose a different one each day and take note of which ones helped you connect with the Lord in a new, engaging, life-giving way. 
   1. Pray through the Psalms
   2. Memorize the Lord’s Prayer
   3. Pray with a small group of people
   4. Journal as you pray
   5. Go outside or take a walk as you pray