Prayer - Simply Complicated

As a bible study and small group leader, I have seen many people squirm in their chairs when the question, "would anyone like to pray?" is asked. Women, young girls and even men have so much to say and love to talk, but in general quickly grow nervous when asked to pray. Leading a group in prayer is something I am comfortable with now. However, I used to be the squirmer who miraculously had a note that needed to be jotted down with the question was asked. I used to think no one would want to hear my prayers because they sounded nothing like the man on stage with a microphone and focused on the many reasons (lies) I should remain silent.

Doubt, fear, sorrow and lack of self confidence sprinkled with anxiety can stop us dead in our tracks. Prayer is not about us. No part of walking with Christ is. The sooner we understand this, the sooner we are released from the burden of being perfect.

The Bible makes it clear we are to have our own personal time with God. Matthew 6:6 says, "But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you."

What does your alone time look like?

Spending just a small amount of alone time communicating with God is key. Notice I didn't say talking to God. Talking means you aren't listening or reading His Word. Talking is very one sided and will not get you very far. We have to grow a personal confidence in the Christ we stand with. This cannot happen without closed door, private time with God. Just going to church on Sunday is not going to cut it.

I'm big on starting small. Small seems less intimidating and God is so awesome He takes our smalls and makes them big and meaningful. God smiles with each little step of faithfulness. Let's start small by reading and understanding scripture because studying scripture is key to enriching your prayer routine.

To be completely honest with you, I have been known to drift off in my own little world and even doze off when I am listening to really long prayers. Whose idea was it to turn down the lights, play soft music and talk for a really long time in the most soothing voice possible? It is an environment for sleep. Am I the only one? This used to intimidate me and made me think I had to create this kind of environment for my prayers to work or something was wrong with me because I fell asleep during what was meant to be a Holy Spirit moment. When I took a more practical approach on prayer because of scripture like these, I found a better understanding to how my prayer life should operate.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Skip over the always be joyful part - who really is? (We will come back to it). NEVER STOP PRAYING. This does not say to create the perfect ambiance every time you pray like you are in church. This says to never stop praying. In the car, when something is completely annoying, when you are wanting to leave work and the clock is not moving, before a big presentation or test, in the very moment you are about to go into a toddler fit of frustration, when you are over joyed, while cooking...NEVER STOP PRAYING. Just little phrases will do. It lets God know He is invited into your every moment of your every day.

BE THANKFUL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. Sometimes the Bible seems to say and ask of us what is near impossible. The Bible never ever tells us to be perfect in all we do. At least I have never come across that part. Remember those baby steps we talked about? Here is a perfect place for a small baby step.
Prayer example: Okay God. That totally drained me and seems to have no good result, but I am going to trust you know what you are doing and be thankful you love me and will see me through this.

Then comes the joy part we skipped over. I think it would have been better suited at the end of the verse, but who am I to correct the Bible! Let's just move it around a bit to help us better understand how it works. We don't have to be joyful all the time, but God is our joy. Period. If we fixate on Him with constant prayer and thanksgiving described in the verse, we are left with joy. It just kind of happens - even in the hard times. Like a skunk leaves his smell for miles, God leaves His joy in our path when we are engaged.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7

Another verse telling us to PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING. The part that used to make no sense to me was the DON'T WORRY part. This was seriously foreign to me. I did not know how to function in a day without worry. It was when I was taught to take every worry thought I had and transform it into a prayer when I experienced the peace this verse is talking about. My little step of faith EXCEEDED ANYTHING I COULD UNDERSTAND. I was living proof of this verse. My BROKEN MIND and HEART was GUARDED and I had a PEACE. If you are like me and suffer from the worry sin, try this.
Worry Example: There is no way on earth we are going to be able to afford the tutor for our struggling child. Where is the money going to come from? What if we don't get a tutor? Will this child have a future?
Worry Transformed to Prayer Example: God, you know the unsettling fear I have for money. If this is what is best for her, please provide a way and make it clear so that we will stay in your will.

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. -Colossians 4:2

We can't thank God for what He has done if we don't have our mind open to see God working. I can't help but pair this verse up with 1 John 5:14-15. It says, "And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for." We can't ask God to work in our lives if we want to hold the reigns and control everything. We have to practice our faith and allow time for our prayers to be responded to. Notice I didn't say answered. If all our prayers were answered, we wouldn't need God. A genie in a bottle would do and our world would be more chaotic than we could ever image. If we DEVOTE OURSELVES TO PRAYER, trust that God will be God and WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT HE HEARS US, we will experience a transformation that brings us closer
to Christ.

Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. -Psalm 55:22

Lord we thank you that a simple complicated thing like prayer is taught in the Bible. We pray these verses would seep into us to cultivate a more productive prayer life. Please guide our thoughts, actions and words. May we more and more represent you and the majesty you so richly bring to our life. Amen.