Prayer is one of those topics that tends to stir up feelings of either conviction or confusion in people. Some might feel guilty for not praying more but unsure if they are even doing it correctly. Others may wrestle with feeling inadequate, ineloquent, or ill-prepared. There are even those who deep down wonder if prayer really matters.
Thankfully, prayer has nothing to do with our eloquence or our performance. Prayer is the place we come to bring our burdens to the Lord through worshipful communion with the Lord. We do not need to overcomplicate it. But, we do need to do it. That is why I want to help you quiet some of the fears and uncertainties you may have surrounding prayer.
First, we need to understand that prayer matters greatly. We know this because the Bible has a lot to say about prayer. I will give you some quick references in this paragraph that you can look up and spend time with later. But for now, you can know that prayer is something we are commanded to do (Isaiah 55:6; Matthew 7:7; Philippians 4:6). Prayer can be offered to God (Psalm 5:2; Matthew 4:10), to Christ (Luke 23:42; Acts 7:59), to the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 3:5), and through Christ (Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 10:19). God hears our prayers (Psalm 10:17; 65:2) and answers them (Psalm 99:6; Isaiah 58:9). Jesus even modeled for us how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13).
One of my favorite passages of Scripture on prayer is Philippians 4:4-7: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
I love how Paul ties prayer to the peace of God. We do not have to live lives riddled with anxiety or overrun by fear and worry. Our hearts and minds can be guarded by a peace that surpasses all understanding. But knowing this level of peace only happens when we are committed to the practice of prayer.
This is why I created what I believe can become the greatest prayer list of your life. Praying with a plan allows you to be so much more consistent.
One word of caution before we go any further: A prayer guide should not take the place of Spirit-led prayer. Just as we do not often map out our conversations with close friends, we should not attempt to put our conversations with God in a box. This guide is simply to help our minds pray consistently about the things that are most important in our lives.
Below are the links you will need to create your prayer list. First, print and fill out the “How to Pray Consistently” list. Next, you will print and use the monthly Prayer Guide. Plug in each “M” response under the Monday box on the chart, plug in each “T” under the Tuesday box, and continue until you have filled in Wednesday through Friday. Once your chart is completed you will have a Monday through Friday prayer guide that you can use on a daily basis. Truly make it your own, updating it monthly and adding categories as you feel led.
STEP ONE: Fill out How to Pray Consistently
STEP TWO: Fill out the Prayer Guide