Talking With God: Life Is Crazy, Prayer Is SimpleSample

Practical Advice on Prayer

Here is some practical advice on prayer:

#1 If you tell someone you’re going to pray for him or her, do it!

I don’t want my words to be hollow, so if I tell someone I am going to pray for him or her, I either ask if I can pray right then and there or else I silently pray as we part ways.

#2 Just let the words come up!

The truth is most people pray, Christians and non-Christians alike. We might not even hear the words we’re saying, words whispered under our breath.

Whether we’re pursuing God or not, the words, our prayers, just come out.

#3 When something reminds you of God, pray!

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul writes about praying without ceasing.

When I first began to take my relationship with God seriously in college, if something reminded me of God, I took the time to acknowledge him. To sit with him. To talk with him.

Write a short prayer on a notecard. Set an alarm on your phone. Find something that reminds you of God and talk with him.

#4 Write prayer notes!

One of my favorite things to do is to write notes to people. To thank people. To encourage people. To let them know I’m praying for them.

As I’m typing a note, I simply begin praying for the person.

It’s amazing how powerful our words to God can be. How powerful our prayers on behalf of others can be.

#5 Encourage others through prayer!

This can be done while grabbing lunch with a friend. You can ask if there’s anything he’s going through right now, then pray for him, his needs, his marriage, his health (and maybe the meal) before chowing down. In so doing, you can almost see the person gain strength right before your eyes.

Some folks keep a list of names. Others pray as God reminds them of people throughout the day. I often write a person’s name down in my Bible. Sometimes I pray words of comfort for a relative who’s going through a difficult season. Other times, I pray words of encouragement for a person who I know has a job interview.

In what ways can you practically add prayer to your day?

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