WHAT DO YOU THINK OF PRAYER? Some simply don’t think about it. Some overthink it. Some wonder if they are doing it right or not, as if a secret code might get through to God or get them what they want. For some, thoughts about prayer have a lot of religious trappings of certain times and ways—even uncertainty that God actually hears or cares. Some think of prayer as a “Hail Mary”—yes, perhaps from a Catholic background with many formal prayers or like the football player who “throws up a prayer” kind of long-shot pass at the last second to try to succeed and win the game.
The truth is prayer is part of spiritual formation. Remember from the last section:
God uses prayer and the other spiritual rhythms we will explore to form us to be like Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Consider this:
Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding Your Heart’s True Home
Prayer catapults us onto the frontier of the spiritual life. It is original research in uncharted territory… To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us.
If spiritual formation is something that God does as we participate with Him in the spiritual rhythms, then it makes sense that prayer—like a simple, ongoing prayer for God’s help—would be central to the process. Why bother praying? Well, because you likely want to grow and need help like the rest of humanity in that process. God offers that help, and we access His help through prayer—through asking and receiving according to His promise and will that we find in Scripture.
Here are some of the things we see in Scripture about prayer:
Matthew 7:7-11
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Philippians 4:6-7
The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 4:14-16
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
There’s more where that came from! And you’ll explore more this week through the process and practice sections of this chapter. But, these few Scriptures give us a lot of good news about the rhythm of prayer. We can see that Jesus Himself says that we have a good Father in God to ask and receive from in an ongoing, rhythmic way. We can see that prayer is a resource for our anxiety; God promises His peace as we pray. We can also see that because Jesus gave Himself for us on the cross, we have full access to God as we pray with faith trusting the Father will give mercy and grace in our time of need. We do not need any holy intermediary besides Jesus, and with Jesus we can each pray knowing we have God’s full attention and good intentions for us. Even so, God desires even more from our prayers than the rhythm of asking and receiving from Him.
Prayer is the expression of the human heart in conversation with God. The more natural the prayer, the more real He becomes to us… prayer is a conversation between two people that love each other. (Rosalind Rinker, Prayer: Conversing with God)
Prayer, like all of the spiritual rhythms, is mostly about relationship with God. And as our love grows into His great love for us through the rhythms of listening and talking, asking and receiving—that is, through prayer—we will find ourselves as different kinds of people down the road. We will find that talking with God has changed us for the better and forever. The Spirit of God will use our ongoing conversations with God the Father to reshape us to be more and more like Jesus, the Son of God.
There are many ways throughout Scripture and Christian history to get started actually praying. You could read, reflect on, and pray the Psalms in your own words. You could use the “Jesus Prayer” from Christian tradition whenever you feel anxious or to help you get started praying: “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” You could simply say, “Help” and “Thank You” to God throughout your day and over a lifetime. More than anything else, remember that prayer is talking with God in relationship—asking and receiving, listening and speaking. The resources and suggestions in the upcoming process and practice sections will help you get started, restart, or progress in your rhythms of prayer.
…take pleasure in and accustom ourselves to His divine company by speaking humbly and conversing lovingly with Him… all our activities whatsoever can be ways of holding little conversations with God. (Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God)
Here are some additional thoughts and resources that will help you go even deeper this week:
PROCESS:
Here is a Scripture devotional and a key quote or two to help you consider the spiritual rhythm of the Word this week, individually and with others.
Read Matthew 7:7-11.
– How would you describe your rhythm of prayer in the last six months?
– How would you summarize Jesus’ main point in this passage?
– What is the significance of the different words Jesus uses for prayer and the promise He makes about prayer?
– How does prayer reveal what the heart believes about God in this passage? What do your prayers reveal about what your heart believes about God?
– What would it look like for you to take another step in talking with your good God about His good purpose and provision in your life?
PRACTICE:
Here is a daily Scripture reading plan with some practical suggestions to help you get started in your next step of growth in spiritual rhythms. Consider this Scripture reading plan and suggestions this week.\
- Matthew 7:7-11 – Reflect on the health of your rhythms of prayer.
- Philippians 4:4-9 – Use anxious moments as prayer opportunities
- 1 John 5:14-15 – Confidently bless people through mealtime prayers.
- James 5:13-16 – Use others’ highs and lows as prayer opportunities.
- Luke 6:27-28 – Pray for God’s best for those who mistreat you.
Consider these resources for further study.
- Introductory: The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence; How to Pray, Dr. Ronnie Floyd; Prayer, Ole Hallesby; Too Busy Not to Pray, Bill Hybels; A Diary of Private Prayer, John Baillie
- Intermediate: Prayer: Finding Your Heart’s True Home by Richard Foster; With Christ in the School of Prayer, Andrew Murray; Praying the Bible, Donald Whitney; Contemplative Prayer, Thomas Merton; Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference, Philip Yancey; The Way of the Heart, Henri Nouwen
- Advanced: Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller; Praying With Paul, D. A. Carson
Here’s a great resource for further study about habits: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
PROGRESS:
Remember! The goal is that all of us would choose one or two holy habits to take a step of growth. Progress is the goal, and all of us can take another step forward together.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
Even More Prayer Resources
The Samuel Prayer, Jesus Prayer, Dr. Oliver’s Jesus Prayer, Dr. Oliver’s Prayer of CommitmentBreath Prayer
Breath Prayer
Centering Prayer
Contemplative Prayer
Conversational Prayer
Fixed-Hour Prayer
Intercessory Prayer
Listening Prayer
Liturgical Prayer
Prayer of Lament
Praying Scripture
Prayer Walking
Postures for Prayer