How Then, Shall We Pray?Sample

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

Praying for ourselves can be easy. I am constantly aware of the challenges I face, the things I need, and the situations that just aren’t going my way. Praying for ourselves can also, at times, seem selfish or even challenging. After all, aren’t I supposed to focus on the Lord and the needs of others? But, what if there was a better way to pray for ourselves? What if there was a prayer that touched the root of the problem and not the surface level needs and difficulties? 

We do need to pray for ourselves because, if we are honest, we need a lot of help, and what we need help with is often rooted in something much more significant- a deep-seated lie we believe about ourselves or God, a sin pattern we can’t break, an idol we turn to for comfort or salvation. Prayer in these areas of our lives is what will bring about real change. That’s not to say there isn’t a time to pray for physical needs and the various challenges we face daily, but often our need goes much deeper.

In looking at the prayers in today’s reading passages, what is being prayed for? How do these prayers address a deeper need in us?