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Improving Prayer


Toscalisa

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Hello. :thumbsup: It's been quite some time since I've posted here.

There's a concern I have, and it has to do with prayer. I would like to grow in how I spend my time with God.

For the longest time, my prayers have been pretty scripted. Basically, before going to bed, I would say: "Father, thanks for everything, please help anyone who needs it, in Jesus' name amen." But that's just...well, I figured it might be a good idea for me to branch out from that.

So, as far as 'thanks for everything', I've been trying to list some things I'm thankful for. As for 'please help anyone who needs it', I've been trying to list some people and what issues they might need help with. For instance, if a friend's child is having a medical procedure, I'll specifically pray for that to go well.

But when I'm listing things to be thankful for, or people who need prayer and the issues I'm praying for, I tend to worry I'll miss something. For instance, I might pray for so many people with issues I'm praying about, and then end before praying for someone else that needs it. Or I might thank God for so many things, but leave something out that I should be thanking Him for.

This, coupled with the fact that sometimes I'll lose my train of thought. I'll be praying, then my thoughts wander a bit, then I'll realize my thoughts have wandered and I'll have to figure out where I was in my prayer. Or sometimes I'll end a prayer, and just as I'm doing so remember something else I was going to pray about, so backtrack, or fear I might have forgotten something, and once I say what I think I'd forgotten, I realize I actually had included it. Sometimes I'll repeat things to make sure I've included it (this may have to do with the fact that I tend to be OCD). Basically, when I try to branch out from my aforementioned 'scripted' prayer, it gets rather disorganized.

Now, often I'll pray throughout the day, if something comes up, like I'll hear something on the news that needs praying about, or I'll hear a siren outside and I'll pray that whatever emergency the siren is headed towards turns out okay, things like that. That tends to be quick, yet specific, not disorganized.

It's when I go to actually spend time with God, talking to Him, that my thoughts get disorganized, or I'll worry I'm failing to include something that needs included, etc.

Does anyone have any advice on how I might improve in regards to prayer?

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Talk To Him As A Trusting Child Would

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Romans 8:15

Or Pray His Word Back To Him

You Are My Shepherd - You Are My Sure Hope

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

You Are My Rest - You Are My Peace And The Water I Thirst For

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalms 23

Be Blessed Beloved Of The KING

Love, Your Brother Joe

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This thing about your mind wondering? Join the very BIG club :) It happens to all of us from time to time. I am having problems praying at the moment because of the same thing! My work, oh especially my work, gets in the way of my thoughts!

I start praying and all of a sudden realize I am thinking about contracts, or contractors, etc!

What helps me is to not just jump right in. First read the word for awhile, it does not have to be long. Choose an easy verse and meditate on it for 10 minutes or so. Get relaxed in the Word. Then make sure there are no outside distractions, like TV, radio or music. Then start praying, have a conversation with Jesus, I prefer to do this with the lights off, in a darkened room (less distraction), when I am on my own.

And pray out loud, this also helps direct your mind to the prayer.

I did a lesson for my Home Group on the Lords Prayer, and the lesson it teaches us about prayer, for it is much more than a prayer, it was a lesson from Jesus to the disciples who had asked "Lord how then should we pray", not Lord give us a prayer, they asked to be taught. I think it is on a post I did way back.

Stick at it, but prepare yourself for prayer before you start. I talk from experience, in that there are prayers I am praying for other people at the moment that are so important to them and me, and prayer is a deadly serious business, be it asking for favor, or just joyful worship (which brings me to another point, if you can't pray, just worship God in your prayer, just worship Him! Don't ask for anything, just worship, like this:-

Hab 3:17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,

Hab 3:18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Hab 3:19 GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.

I other words, when you cannot pray because of "no fruit on the vines", just rejoice in the Lord. Tell Him how much you love Him! Tell Him how awesome He is! (because it's true!).

Blessings, you are not alone! :)

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Hello. :) It's been quite some time since I've posted here.

There's a concern I have, and it has to do with prayer. I would like to grow in how I spend my time with God.

For the longest time, my prayers have been pretty scripted. Basically, before going to bed, I would say: "Father, thanks for everything, please help anyone who needs it, in Jesus' name amen." But that's just...well, I figured it might be a good idea for me to branch out from that.

So, as far as 'thanks for everything', I've been trying to list some things I'm thankful for. As for 'please help anyone who needs it', I've been trying to list some people and what issues they might need help with. For instance, if a friend's child is having a medical procedure, I'll specifically pray for that to go well.

But when I'm listing things to be thankful for, or people who need prayer and the issues I'm praying for, I tend to worry I'll miss something. For instance, I might pray for so many people with issues I'm praying about, and then end before praying for someone else that needs it. Or I might thank God for so many things, but leave something out that I should be thanking Him for.

This, coupled with the fact that sometimes I'll lose my train of thought. I'll be praying, then my thoughts wander a bit, then I'll realize my thoughts have wandered and I'll have to figure out where I was in my prayer. Or sometimes I'll end a prayer, and just as I'm doing so remember something else I was going to pray about, so backtrack, or fear I might have forgotten something, and once I say what I think I'd forgotten, I realize I actually had included it. Sometimes I'll repeat things to make sure I've included it (this may have to do with the fact that I tend to be OCD). Basically, when I try to branch out from my aforementioned 'scripted' prayer, it gets rather disorganized.

Now, often I'll pray throughout the day, if something comes up, like I'll hear something on the news that needs praying about, or I'll hear a siren outside and I'll pray that whatever emergency the siren is headed towards turns out okay, things like that. That tends to be quick, yet specific, not disorganized.

It's when I go to actually spend time with God, talking to Him, that my thoughts get disorganized, or I'll worry I'm failing to include something that needs included, etc.

Does anyone have any advice on how I might improve in regards to prayer?

The repetitious prayer grabbed my attention. Being a victim of scrupulosity myself(which is a form of OCD) I tend to do the same thing, repeat the words in the prayer until they sound right, or at least until the seratonin registers it in my head that I have that portion of the prayer covered,especially when asking for forgiveness. I know the bible tells us not to, but for a different reason. The bible says not to use repetition for reasons of rote unmeaning praying. We do it to be certain that we know God hears us. All in all, the best prayers that God wants to hear are those that come from the heart, not those wriiten as form prayer for the masses.Its nice to meet you, and a relief to discover that I'm not alone with this problem!

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For the longest time, my prayers have been pretty scripted. Basically, before going to bed, I would say: "Father, thanks for everything, please help anyone who needs it, in Jesus' name amen." But that's just...well, I figured it might be a good idea for me to branch out from that.

Talk To Him As A Trusting Child Would

I was thinking along these lines as well.

It sounds like you need to learn how to develop actually conversing with the Lord through prayer.

Talk to the Lord about your fears, concerns, hopes, dreams, struggles, frustrations, joys.

I know it's weird telling God things He already knows! But it is important for you to begin conversing these things with Him - not in your head mixed in with your thoughts, but voicing them to Him. I find that when I speak these things out loud to Him with my thoughts directed towards Him, it changes how I perceive everything, and the prayers come out much better. It's too easy to rant in my thoughts rather than to listen or to express faith.

Blessings!

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Read the Psalms and a book called the Valley of Vision. That'll help a lot.

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As many people here have already said, you aren't alone in your struggle. I myself have the same problems when I pray. My mind wanders. Or sometimes, I fall asleep. :thumbsup:

But one thing I have found helpful is to read some verses in the Bible first and try to reflect on it for a while. I particularly like reading the Psalms because there are many verses there that exalt and praise the Lord. I use them as my prayers.

Or I start by singing some worship songs. Sometimes I forget the lyrics and I start humming. :thumbsup: I am sure God understands.

In the process, I just say to God what is in my heart to say. As for who and what to pray for, I know it is also the Holy Spirit who guides us in our prayers even when we don't know what to say. I do have people I pray for all the time, but every now and then in my prayer time, I know the Spirit just brings a person or a matter to mind and I pray for that as well.

And like you, many of my little prayers have happened while I was on the bus, or walking home, or while waiting for my next class, or waiting in line.

Blessings...South

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As many people here have already said, you aren't alone in your struggle. I myself have the same problems when I pray. My mind wanders. Or sometimes, I fall asleep. :thumbsup:

But one thing I have found helpful is to read some verses in the Bible first and try to reflect on it for a while. I particularly like reading the Psalms because there are many verses there that exalt and praise the Lord. I use them as my prayers.

Or I start by singing some worship songs. Sometimes I forget the lyrics and I start humming. :thumbsup: I am sure God understands.

In the process, I just say to God what is in my heart to say. As for who and what to pray for, I know it is also the Holy Spirit who guides us in our prayers even when we don't know what to say. I do have people I pray for all the time, but every now and then in my prayer time, I know the Spirit just brings a person or a matter to mind and I pray for that as well.

And like you, many of my little prayers have happened while I was on the bus, or walking home, or while waiting for my next class, or waiting in line.

Blessings...South

Oh my goodness! The mind wandering is rampant, everyone talks about that. God can follow no matter how willy nilly our thoughts are though. And, South, I have also fallen asleep in the middle of a prayer so I guess that's not unique to any individual either! Praying aloud DOES help to focus, for me anyway. :b:

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