“Prayer” can be an intimidating word. However, prayer is simply talking to God. Just like your relationships thrive with good, consistent communication, the same principle applies to your relationship with God.
If you want a good relationship with God, you are invited to talk to him every day. It doesn’t have to be fancy or long. You can start by having a short conversation with God.
We just read in 1 Peter 5:7 that we can give all our worries and cares to God, because he cares about us. If you don’t know what to say, that’s a great place to start!
Tell God everything that is worrying you, stressful to you, or any problems you might be facing. He wants you to tell Him so that He can step in and help. God already knows, but He wants a relationship with you more than you want a relationship with Him. You are invited to tell him what’s going on in your life.
The other verse we just read tells us that prayer is a two-way street. We tell God what’s going on in our lives, and God wants to also speak to us. We belong to Him, we are His sheep, and the sheep recognize the shepherd’s voice.
Prayer is equally about listening as it is about speaking. God will talk back when you have a conversation with Him! It may take some time to recognize His voice, and oftentimes God’s voice sounds a lot like our voice in our heads. One way to distinguish God’s voice over your own voice, is that God’s voice will tell you things you wouldn’t otherwise tell yourself. He will encourage, direct, and point things out that you would probably never say.
Prayer is just as much about listening as it is talking, just like any relationship you have in your life. Below is an outline you can follow to get started on how to talk to God.
KEY BIBLE VERSES
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
John 10: 27-28 (NLT) “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me.”
NEXT STEPS
Read this scripture and follow the instructions below. Take five minutes and try to follow this outline to pray every day this week.
Luke 11: 2-4 (NLT) Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.
Spend the first minute thanking God for everything good in your life. Big or small, if it’s good, it came from God and thank Him for it!
Spend the second minute asking God to give you the courage to follow Him. Following Jesus can be very challenging at times, so we need His help every day.
Spend the third minute asking God for specific things you need and want. God cares about the thing you care about and nothing is too big for God.
Spend the fourth minute asking God to forgive you and others. You will experience freedom and relief when you ask God to forgive you of your sins and when you forgive others for anything they’ve said or done to you.
Take the last minute to listen. Remember, prayer isn’t a monologue but a conversation. It’s important to ask God to speak to you and to actively listen. It might feel a little uncomfortable but sit quietly and ask God to speak to you. He might tell you something specific, remind you of a Bible verse or special moment, or He may just say one word. You probably won’t hear an audible voice, and that is okay! The point is to practice pausing and listening as God speaks to you.
