I know this is a stupid question. But how do you properly pray?

[FutureAndAHope]

I know that God is one with himself but why is every example of prayer in the NT prayers to God the Father? But yet many Christians (myself included so d/w I'm not judging you) try to pray to and worship the trinity? True the Trinity is God and all members of the Trinity are one with each other but it does raise many questions. I opened a thread recently that asked if we worshiped three Gods and people were helpful to me and tried to explain how the Trinity works. I think I have it down pat. But I still don't understand why most Christians pray to the Trinity when the only examples of prayer in the NT are to God the Father. I don't want him to be angry at me if I'm supposed to be worshipping and praising him you know?

I would say, don't try to pray to the trinity. Don't seek to personalise the prayer to individual members. Focus prayer to God as a single entity. Otherwise it will just get confusing. Jesus was the earthly representation of what God is like, that is why I pray to Jesus, He is according to John 1:1 God, so it is not wrong to pray to Him, and it puts the focus on the nature of God as it relates to human kind.

The fact is God is not actually 3 members anyway. The number seven is used throughout the bible, and for good reason, the Holy Spirit is made up of seven members. So can you imagine trying to pray to 9 in total. It is just not practical, that is why the bible uses the word Father, and son, it is much easier to relate to in prayer. But the fact is they are one, in purpose, and are God to us.

 

[LadyMadelineUsher]

Please understand that I don't mean to sound like a troll on any of these questions. They are all honest and genuine questions from the heart. I honestly have been apart from God for so long that I don't know how to properly pray. Both my wife and I could use help on this. My wife has only prayed a few times in her life when she was Catholic as a kid. But she's always believed in Christ from the moment she was born. I on the other hand, was also raised Catholic but never shared my mother's faith so I didn't bother with praying much. I prayed sometimes but I still feel like as a kid I prayed the wrong way because I used to pray to Mary and to the saints and all of the other Catholic ways which I don't feel comfortable doing now as a protestant.

But yeah, I was an atheist for most of my life so I missed out on the whole "How to pray" thing. I know prayer is just talking to God and telling him about how you feel and thanking/praising him but what's expected of us when we pray? Would God care about the tiniest details of my life? Like say I want to pray about playing Video Games and tell him how happy they make me feel or tell him that I want to get to a certain level or something? Lol An honest question that I'm really embarrassed to ask. Let me explain. I don't want God to not care about what I have to say or if I'm committing a sin against him I don't want him to be angry at me or whatever. Or if I want to share with him that since I never achieved the goals in my life that I'm semi angry with him? I'm mostly angry at my dad but mostly because my dad physically abused me when I was growing up and told me that I would never amount to anything and basically that I was a loser. I've told God multiple times that I want to let this anger go in my life because God probably didn't want me to achieve the goals of my life and I should accept it. God also gave me my father for a reason. Maybe so that I would love my heavenly father more. Who knows.

Should we get in the habit of praying daily to God? I know some Christians would give varying answers to that question so maybe I can't be helped on that one. Does God hear our prayers in our thoughts or do we have to pray out loud? Would God hear my wife and I if we started praying together or is prayer supposed to be done by us individually in private like Jesus seems to command in Matthew 6:6? Do I pray to the Trinity or just to Jesus/God the Father the Holy Spirit alone?

Scripture pretty much says to pray to God the Father only but yet many Christians pray to the Trinity why is that when never in the New Testament do we see examples of Prayer to Jesus or the HS and Jesus never prayed to the HS? It makes sense why he wouldn't pray to himself but there's still another part of him that's fully and equally God and equivalent to himself so why didn't he pray to him to help guide him in his earthly mission?

If I just say "Dear God". Or just simply "God" when I start my prayer does that mean I'm praying to the Trinity or to a random false God? Does God know the desire of our hearts when we pray? Sounds like a stupid question but it's sincere. Like say if I pray "Dear God" does God know that I intend to pray to him or to pray to the Trinity? I really don't want him to think that I'm praying to some false God.

How do you overcome fear of rejection and the awkwardness of prayer? My wife feels extremely guilty and like God will smite her down any second because she's barely prayed to him. Nor do we really live for God and are just Christians on paper (That's changing).

I think that's about it for my questions for now. I'll probably ask more as this thread gets bigger.

It's really just talking to God, it's not like in Anne of Green Gables where you have to have all your arts and thou's. And as for why God would care; for one thing he's your father, and for another prayer is above all supposed to be beneficial to you. That is helping you to maintain a relationship with him even when you're having trouble since prayer is such a simple thing, and to relieve your stresses. And it doesn't matter how you start your prayer, God is omniscient- all knowing. He knows who you're talking to. It's just natural to address him given the way we associate with humans, but just a "hey God" is fine. And God would be happy to hear from you, starting to be more serious about this aspect of your faith will be good, you can't change the past and God is forgiving. As for how oft' to pray that depends on the person. I think daily prayer is very beneficial though, even if it's "just" the Lords Prayer as long as you're thinking of the meaning of it. Just because it's easy to fall out of the habit and can be a really good stress reliever at the end of the day. I usually pray the Lord's prayer in bed and then add on what else i'm worried about, but many people are too tired by then, it just depends. And God hears your prayers in your thoughts, going back to the omniscient thing.

But basically yeah, praying is legit just talking to God, and he's your father. And you don't have to talk in archaic or anything like that, you can just straight up talk to him. He loves you and if your Father so talk to him about whatever you think he can help you with or your praises for him. You won't be dissing him by talking about the happiness that video games bring you. That's legit art at this point it really shouldn't be treated any differently than film. And he put into action the events that allowed the making of those video games. Basically when praying about things that make you happy just remember how it leads back to him. And prayer is to help you to relieve stress and to remind you how awesome our Lord is.

 

[LadyMadelineUsher]

It's really just talking to God, it's not like in Anne of Green Gables where you have to have all your arts and thou's. And as for why God would care; for one thing he's your father, and for another prayer is above all supposed to be beneficial to you. That is helping you to maintain a relationship with him even when you're having trouble since prayer is such a simple thing, and to relieve your stresses. And it doesn't matter how you start your prayer, God is omniscient- all knowing. He knows who you're talking to. It's just natural to address him given the way we associate with humans, but just a "hey God" is fine. And God would be happy to hear from you, starting to be more serious about this aspect of your faith will be good, you can't change the past and God is forgiving. As for how oft' to pray that depends on the person. I think daily prayer is very beneficial though, even if it's "just" the Lords Prayer as long as you're thinking of the meaning of it. Just because it's easy to fall out of the habit and can be a really good stress reliever at the end of the day. I usually pray the Lord's prayer in bed and then add on what else i'm worried about, but many people are too tired by then, it just depends. And God hears your prayers in your thoughts, going back to the omniscient thing.

But basically yeah, praying is legit just talking to God, and he's your father. And you don't have to talk in archaic or anything like that, you can just straight up talk to him. He loves you and if your Father so talk to him about whatever you think he can help you with or your praises for him. You won't be dissing him by talking about the happiness that video games bring you. That's legit art at this point it really shouldn't be treated any differently than film. And he put into action the events that allowed the making of those video games. Basically when praying about things that make you happy just remember how it leads back to him. And prayer is to help you to relieve stress and to remind you how awesome our Lord is.

Made several of the Lord's pronouns lower case didn't notice this my apologies, tried to edit but it's saying it's spam

 

[Bobber]

How do you overcome fear of rejection and the awkwardness of prayer? My wife feels extremely guilty and like God will smite her down any second because she's barely prayed to him. Nor do we really live for God and are just Christians on paper (That's changing).

Let me give you something to think about. Just a story comparison that might help. There was once a little girl who had 3 dolls. One had a nice clean blue dress with black hair, all combed and looking nice. The other had a pink dress and also was well put together and fine. The third doll however was a mess. The dress was all messed up, ripped and dirty and it's arm half pulled off.

The little girls mother happened to notice her daughter was holding and hugging the real messed up doll. When the mother asked why are you spending all your time with that one showing it such love? The child replied....."Because this one NEEDS ME the most!" Point...You and your wife my feel like you're a mess! Cheer up!

The LOVING, GRACIOUS GOD wants you to know he's on your side. If you're crying out in your hearts towards him he's right there with you to be the life, hope, strength and salvation for your lives. Peace to you and God Bless!

 

[Neostarwcc]

Let me give you something to think about. Just a story comparison that might help. There was once a little girl who had 3 dolls. One had a nice clean blue dress with black hair, all combed and looking nice. The other had a pink dress and also was well put together and fine. The third doll however was a mess. The dress was all messed up, ripped and dirty and it's arm half pulled off.

The little girls mother happened to notice her daughter was holding and hugging the real messed up doll. When the mother asked why are you spending all your time with that one showing it such love? The child replied....."Because this one NEEDS ME the most!" Point...You and your wife my feel like you're a mess! Cheer up!

The LOVING, GRACIOUS GOD wants you to know he's on your side. If you're crying out in your hearts towards him he's right there with you to be the life, hope, strength and salvation for your lives. Peace to you and God Bless!

True. He has helped strengthen me and completely change my life over the years.

 

[roman2819]

Please understand that I don't mean to sound like a troll on any of these questions. They are all honest and genuine questions from the heart. I honestly have been apart from God for so long that I don't know how to properly pray. Both my wife and I could use help on this. My wife has only prayed a few times in her life when she was Catholic as a kid. But she's always believed in Christ from the moment she was born. I on the other hand, was also raised Catholic but never shared my mother's faith so I didn't bother with praying much. I prayed sometimes but I still feel like as a kid I prayed the wrong way because I used to pray to Mary and to the saints and all of the other Catholic ways which I don't feel comfortable doing now as a protestant.

But yeah, I was an atheist for most of my life so I missed out on the whole "How to pray" thing. I know prayer is just talking to God and telling him about how you feel and thanking/praising him but what's expected of us when we pray? Would God care about the tiniest details of my life? Like say I want to pray about playing Video Games and tell him how happy they make me feel or tell him that I want to get to a certain level or something? Lol An honest question that I'm really embarrassed to ask. Let me explain. I don't want God to not care about what I have to say or if I'm committing a sin against him I don't want him to be angry at me or whatever. Or if I want to share with him that since I never achieved the goals in my life that I'm semi angry with him? I'm mostly angry at my dad but mostly because my dad physically abused me when I was growing up and told me that I would never amount to anything and basically that I was a loser. I've told God multiple times that I want to let this anger go in my life because God probably didn't want me to achieve the goals of my life and I should accept it. God also gave me my father for a reason. Maybe so that I would love my heavenly father more. Who knows.

Should we get in the habit of praying daily to God? I know some Christians would give varying answers to that question so maybe I can't be helped on that one. Does God hear our prayers in our thoughts or do we have to pray out loud? Would God hear my wife and I if we started praying together or is prayer supposed to be done by us individually in private like Jesus seems to command in Matthew 6:6? Do I pray to the Trinity or just to Jesus/God the Father the Holy Spirit alone?

Scripture pretty much says to pray to God the Father only but yet many Christians pray to the Trinity why is that when never in the New Testament do we see examples of Prayer to Jesus or the HS and Jesus never prayed to the HS? It makes sense why he wouldn't pray to himself but there's still another part of him that's fully and equally God and equivalent to himself so why didn't he pray to him to help guide him in his earthly mission?

If I just say "Dear God". Or just simply "God" when I start my prayer does that mean I'm praying to the Trinity or to a random false God? Does God know the desire of our hearts when we pray? Sounds like a stupid question but it's sincere. Like say if I pray "Dear God" does God know that I intend to pray to him or to pray to the Trinity? I really don't want him to think that I'm praying to some false God.

How do you overcome fear of rejection and the awkwardness of prayer? My wife feels extremely guilty and like God will smite her down any second because she's barely prayed to him. Nor do we really live for God and are just Christians on paper (That's changing).

I think that's about it for my questions for now. I'll probably ask more as this thread gets bigger.

Hi @Neostarwcc

It is not easy to describe prayer in a few words or paragraphs. I hope this book "Understanding Prayer, Faith and God's Will" can help you. It focus on prayer substantially. When I observe how Christians struggle with prayer and/or God's will, which affect their faith, I believe that such a book can help them. Hope it will be of help to you. Available on Amazon.

May God bless you.

 

[Neostarwcc]

Hi @Neostarwcc

It is not easy to describe prayer in a few words or paragraphs. I hope this book "Understanding Prayer, Faith and God's Will" can help you. It focus on prayer substantially. When I observe how Christians struggle with prayer and/or God's will, which affect their faith, I believe that such a book can help them. Hope it will be of help to you. Available on Amazon.

May God bless you.

Thanks for the book recommendation. Is it available on audible?

 

[roman2819]

Thanks for the book recommendation. Is it available on audible?

I am afraid it is not in audio yet..