Sometimes prayer feels natural. Other times we realize days- or even weeks- have gone by without even thinking about it.
I’ve lived in both of those places.
Prayer is an important part of everyday life, but there are so many different ways to do it. For a long time, I struggled with maintaining a consistent prayer life. It was rarely my first thought when things went wrong- or even when things were going well.
Sometimes I go through phases where I’m praying constantly, talking to God like He’s right beside me all day. Then before I know it, I find myself back at square one, where prayer doesn’t even cross my mind.
The Bible encourages us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray without ceasing.”
So lately I’ve been asking myself: What actually makes prayer work for me? What helps me lean in and use one of the greatest tools Jesus gave us?
God wants to hear from us. He wants to know every little detail about our lives and every thought going through our minds. Even though He already knows everything about us, He still wants us to come to Him- acknowledge Him and invite Him into our lives.
Philippians 4:6 reminds us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
I’ve noticed something when I talk to Him honestly, like I would a close friend. When I hold nothing back and just have a real conversation with Him, things start to feel less overwhelming. My thoughts become clearer. The mess in my mind begins to settle.
God invites us to exactly that in Psalm 62:8: “Pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.”
My thoughts have a way of taking over sometimes, and I can become so caught up in them that I’m oblivious to the world around me. Learning to become more aware of my thoughts – and what triggers them – has helped me tremendously when it comes to talking to God.
Prayer connects us to Jesus. It is a recognition of our dependence on Him. There is real power in seeking the Lord’s help, because the truth is we will never outgrow our need for Jesus.
As Jesus Himself said in John 15:5: “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
Prayer is also what brings us closer to God. I’ve discovered that prayer is simply a conversation with the Lord.
For a long time, I struggled with the fact that He isn’t physically present. I wished I could sit across from Him on the couch or at the kitchen table, look into His eyes, and tell Him eveything that was on my mind . I longed to feel a warm hug from Him when I needed comfort.
But now I’m learning something different.
When I pray – when I truly allow myself to kneel down and open up the parts of my heart I usually keep hidden – that’s when I begin to feel His presence through the Holy Spirit.
James 4:8 says: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
Jesus wants us to be vulnerable. He doesn’t want us to hold back. He already knows our deepest thoughts; He just wants us to acknowledge them and work through them with Him.
And sometimes, we don’t even know what to say.
There have been mornings where I’ve knelt down to pray and nothing came out. My mind felt full, but the words just wouoldn’t form. I sat there quietly, not really knowing where to start.
So instead of forcing the words, I simply stayed there.
When you don’t know what to pray or how to get the words out, it’s okay to sit in silence in the presence of God. I have sometimes put on a playlist of worship music and just let it wash over me while I kneel or sit quietly before Him, letting the Holy Spirit take over for me.
The Bible reminds us in Romans 8:26: “In the same way, the Spirit helps in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
Holding in our feelings and avoiding them only creates more problems. And the more problems that pile up, the more we want to avoid them – until everything feels so overwhelming that we don’t even know where to begin.
But Scripture gives us a beautiful invitation in Jeremiah 33:3: “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
That’s where prayer comes in.
Prayer is the starting place. It’s how we build our relationship with Jesus and allow Him to guide the way we live. It’s learning to trust that He truly has our back.
Matthew 11:28 says: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
I’m still learning all of this.
But every day I’m making progress. Every day I choose Jesus. And every day I learn something new about Him – and about myself.
Maybe today is simply another opportunity to sit with Him for a few minutes and start a conversation again.
1John 5:14
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
Finding grace, right where we are.
Finding Grace Along The Way 