Yesterday I talked about faith, patience, and trust in God. Today I'd like to talk about one of the best ways to make that happen. Prayer is, in my opinion, key in a Christian's walk with God, but it is even more crucial when we are struggling.
Prayer, in its simplest form, is not complicated. When you talk to God, you are praying. That's it. Some religions, or even versions of Christianity, have special prayers for specific events, situations, or times of the year. In reality, any time you talk to God, you are praying.
My prayer life is not the best example to give. I do not pray as much as I feel I should. I read my Bible daily, but when it comes to prayer, I know I am lacking. I remember my grandmother used to pray multiple times per day. I am not my grandmother. I struggle sometimes to pray daily.
Sometimes it is because the words just won't come. I can sit with my eyes closed, and the right words won't materialize. Other times, I start praying, only to have different thoughts distract me. Suddenly, instead of praying, I am thinking about dinner later or that trip to the store I have to take tomorrow.
The one thing I have found that works consistently is to write out my prayers. Profound, right? A writer figures out that writing his prayers is the best way for him to pray. Who knew? God knew, that's why it works so well for me. Writing is almost as natural as breathing for me, so why wouldn't I use writing to pray?
So, you might ask, why did I stop? I convinced myself that it was somehow cheating. As a Christian, I shouldn't need to write my prayers to be able to pray. Yet, the more I consider the alternative—not praying—writing them is a much better option than doing nothing.
That's why, as of today, I am going back to what works and starting a prayer journal. Nothing fancy here, folks. A simple notebook, a pen, and my heart poured out for only me and God to see. I can give thanks, be vulnerable, ask for what I need, pray for others—the list is endless.
The best thing about a prayer journal is the history it provides. I can see which prayers God answered and how. I can look back and see how my prayer journey is evolving. If I'm stuck, I can always copy a Psalm from the Bible and then give my thoughts.
Prayer is a key aspect of being a Christian. It is the way we communicate with God. Jesus prayed a lot. If Jesus is my role model, then I should most definitely pray. If I have to write to do it, then so be it. Do you pray? If so, how do you pray? I would love to hear about it.
—Daniel