Pray is a four-letter word that we are going to take a holy moment to unpack today. A simple word with a lot to say.
Taking time to pray should be as natural as brushing our teeth every day. There is no such thing as a perfect way to pray, though your religion or family creed may say differently. That’s okay.
The beautiful truth about being human is that there is nothing we can do perfectly. This includes the way we pray.
According to the internet, when we pray, we are simply offering up an expression of thanks or requesting something from a higher power.
God sees our ability to pray as a time to connect with Him. This is a 24/7, 365-open line of communication with our creator. We can call the hotline and pray all day if we choose to.
While all of our gut reactions towards praying may be different, this four letter word can be broken down to make it easier to incorporate into your everyday.
P – Prioritize Time With God
In a world where we lean into our self-talk more than we do our talks with God, my encouragement to you would be to share with someone who cares about what you have to say. When we limit our talk to ourselves or those around us, we are limiting the potential for real change. Take time to prioritize sharing with God every day; the good, the bad, and the ugly. His word promises us that prayer has the potential to make real change. Matthew 7:7-11
Spending time with God may be foreign to you, or something that you do every day. Nevertheless, God wants to deepen His relationship with you. He will make time to connect with you, always.
R – Reflect On The Wins & Losses
When we take the time to pray, it physically and emotionally stops us from the quick pace of our day-to-day. Our world moves at the speed of opportunity, and we are constantly met by the next thing. The next thing on our to-do list, the unread text message, or the next place we need to be. Before we know it, we’ve forgotten to pause and reflect on how we are doing. When we take the time to reflect each day, we are able to separate the forest from the trees. There is plenty of good and bad we can go to God with, and a pause is surely something that we need.
This time of reflection is crucial for moving at God’s speed and not our own. God’s word in Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us not to be anxious about anything. It is much easier to regulate our nervous system when we are not constantly moving.
A – Align Yourself With What God Is Saying
A result of a regular prayer routine is the natural alignment with God’s will. Similar to getting in shape, learning the right posture and form will reap positive results. Your muscles start growing and your stamina will increase. Your overall health begins to improve and everything seems to be working more naturally. When we participate in this active exchange with God, we begin to align with the direction He is moving.
The direction of God’s will for us may not be the direction we are currently going. Time in prayer with Him will help us discern the way we are moving, and align us with the path He is uncovering. Matthew 6:6
Y – Yearn For God’s Attention
Psalm 42:1 says, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you O God.” As we develop our prayer life, it moves from a daily discipline, to a daily devotion, and into a daily delight. One of God’s greatest desires for us is to delight in time with Him. As the creator of the heavens and the earth, it doesn’t seem like much to ask. As the miracle worker and promise keeper that we put our hope in, you’d think that we’d have a yearning for time with God. Scripture makes clear the separation. In the early passages of Genesis, sin enters the world. This sin separated us from God.
The good news is that Jesus came to offer forgiveness. By the blood and body of Christ, we were forgiven and brought back into real relationship with God. This leaves us with a choice. The choice to live forgiven with Jesus, or a life of suffering alone in our sin. Recognizing our need to pray turns into a realization that we all need a Savior. Taking time to pray allows us to see how much better life is when we are living in that freedom.
Our road to a relationship with God is winding and endless. There will be hills and valleys, roadblocks, and traffic jams along the way. The sooner we prioritize time with Him, take time to reflect, and align ourselves with His word, the quicker we will yearn for direction from Him. A life forgiven is much lighter than a life weighted by burden. Take a load off, and pray with God this week. He is willing and ready to take what you weren’t designed to carry.
Makenna Curtis
Local Pulse Community Writer
Holy Moments
