Elroy ByamNov 17, 2014, 2:58 PM
In Jesus name, amen?
During my formative years, I found myself combining several prayers I’d heard many times before. Some were from my father; others from my mother, and the remainders were crumbs from other church members. On any given day, my prayer would sound something like this.
“We thank you once again for spared life… we know there are so many issues going on around the world today… and keep us, for we cannot keep ourselves...”
I’d heard these renditions a thousand times over. In my teenage mind, I thought these prayers made sense – they always seemed to validate the moment. But that was it – after that, life would go on as if nothing happened, and I felt empty.
I’m now in my late twenty-something year old mind, and I’ve started to realize the importance of prayer as relational rhetoric rather than rehearsed recitation.
Are you feeling like your prayers are mundane? Here are three ways you can spice up your prayer life:
Pray from your HEART, not your HEAD. Proverbs 21:2 says, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts.” What’s in your heart that reflects in your prayer?
Seek out a new location. Where do you pray when you begin to get that “rehearsed prayer” feeling? A spontaneous walk outdoors or a silent space can help to change the monotony of someone’s prayer life.
Pray during the good times too. It’s easy to rely on God during the tough times in your life, and then we tend to tuck Him away when things are going well. Praying through the good times as well as the bad articulates to Him our desire for an unconditional relationship.
As Christians, it is important to remember that our prayers are daily conversations with God. Though God knows us inside and out, He desires a more authentic experience – one where we communicate with Him as our Father and our friend. It may seem tough at first, but after awhile you’ll begin to see the possibilities.
Many people place prayer requests in a box. Many people place God in one too.