Prayer

SpiritSong said:

I pray for whatever comes to my mind (whenever it comes to mind, if I can), I pray when I hear sirens for whoever needs the emergency vehicle, that it gets there in time and solves the problem. I pray when folks ask me to pray for them. I pray with my fellow congregation every Sunday when we pray together. I pray about whatever I might find myself worrying about. I pray about current events. I pray for the Lord's will to be done. I pray in Jesus' Name.

I used to pray with a written list, but the prayers seemed to become rote and empty, so I stopped. Instead I do the above. It feels much more meaningful.

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Drought of the Heart said:

I keep a diary on my bed stand , pillow under the bed and go there daily a certain time everyday ...Daniel is a good example a good prayer warrior ...

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~Anastasia~ said:

There are very many things that can help.

One thing that prayer always needs is focus. It's better to pray a few words that reach into your heart and spirit with full attention and an awareness of being in God's presence than ten thousand careless words. (The latter could even be damaging.) when your mind wanders, bring it back. Don't expect too much of yourself at first if you aren't used to this - 5-10 minutes or even 3 minutes is a start.

I like to follow a rule that includes certain prayers for morning and evening, as well as time spent praying for others, then myself, examination and confession, and thanksgiving.

Most of my rule are formal prayers that are beautiful and help to form my thoughts toward God. But we should also pray our own prayers and share our own thoughts with God.

I pray all the time for a short list of people close to me, those in particular need, or ones I have committed to pray for, as well as any that come to mind. I remember these. But I keep a longer list of everyone else I want to pray for, and include them sometimes.

People sometimes use all sorts of reminders to pray. Maybe a cross on the wall or an icon and when we see it, we remember to pray. Maybe set a timer or alarm several times a day. I wear a knotted rope bracelet to remind me.

That's just a few things. Good topic.

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dreadnought said:

If you are in constant prayer, as Paul instructs (1 Thess 5:17), then you have a running conversation with the Lord. You don't need to write down what you've prayed for. You just say, "Lord, did we talk this?" or "Lord, did we talk about that?" and you talk about it with him.

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dreadnought said:

If you're talking with him all the time, you can't get much more focused than that, can you? Make sure you're listening to him.

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~Anastasia~ said:

I have found that if spontaneous prayer begins to ramble or becomes repetitious, that formal prayers can be helpful. I pray a relatively small number of formal prayers (maybe 20 or so) in rotations, maybe staying with one for a few days initially but later changing them up a lot. Once they get into you, they teach you. You have words more worthy of the magnificence of God. They teach how to relate to God in supplication, in repentance, in glorifying Him. Sometimes our own words don't do that justice. After a while they become a part of you. Now I frequently pray and my prayers are interspersed with phrases I have learned from the formal prayers, because they are fitting to what I wish to say to God.

They should never be rote recitations. They are tools, teachers. Used in the right way they can greatly enliven prayer.

It doesn't hurt to try, with no particular plan in mind. I use an app called Pray Always, but I'm sure there are others too, as well as little prayer books.

They will reflect the theology of wherever they come from, but you can always leave out phrases you are not in agreement with.

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Drought of the Heart said:

I also go there when the world comes crashing in

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Jerri said:

I have a 5 days prayer plan of sorts
. Monday - pray for the church
. Tuesday - pray for my family extended and nuclear
. Wednesday - pray for my nation
. Thursday - pray for the ministry that God has put in me
Friday - pray for services over the weekend.

This plan has helped me tremendously because it has given a chance to address much of what is in my sphere. During the day however I'll find myself breaking into prayer mostly about lost souls. I asked God to help me do at least 3 prayers in a day; therefore I'll wake up in the night sometimes once or twice my ideal being at midnight and 3am of which I never set alarms but when sleeping I ask God to wake me up to fellowship with Him. Sometimes He'll do it once or twice in a night. Then I'll do my devotion first thing in the morning then followed with the day's prayer normally take a min of 2hrs. Then I am free till maybe before I sleep or any other time in the day as the Lord may lead me. When I do my night prayers it'll almost be followed by a dream or 2 regarding anything I am going through or praying over, the church, nation or family as the Lord wills.

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~Anastasia~ said:

In that case I hope you find beautiful and majestic prayers that help lift your spirit to Him.

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