Lord, teach us to pray!

Praying. Even some of the most seasoned Christians I know have told me this is one area they wish they were better at. Whether it is an issue with being consistent or simply just knowing you are approaching the throne of heaven with the right attitude, you may have faced doubt in your prayer life before, also. Even Christ’s disciples asked Him to “teach us how to pray”. (Luke 11:1)

So how are we commanded to pray?

Did you know that “The Lord’s Prayer”, given in Matthew 6 is only an example of how to pray? This is not a prayer we are commanded to repeat by memorization. Matthew 6:9 says “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (And so on…) In this passage of Matthew 6, along with other passages in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Jesus gives a great description of how we should pray. Let’s look at some of these instructions:

Believe

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Mark 11:24

We are commanded to approach our prayer life with confidence. If we believe Christ saved our soul, and we believe he loves us and wants what’s best for us, why would we not believe he hears and desires to answer our prayers? Yet often we pray wondering if He has even heard. We wonder if we have done enough or have said the right things to touch His heart. We must trust and believe.

Forgive

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Mark 11:25-26

The Bible tells us repeatedly we cannot be right with God if we are not right with others. Part of being right with others is forgiving. When you have been hurt or otherwise wronged, it can be so hard to forgive the actions of the other person. Christ still forgave us even while we were yet sinners. We must follow his example! Get the hatred, bitterness, and hurt out of your heart (seek forgiveness for these things, yourself) so you can keep a clear line of communication open with Christ!

Don’t do it for show

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:5-6

The best prayers are often said in the quiet, still, lonely places in life. This is when we tend to pour out our true feelings of fear, despair, and sorrow to the Lord. Don’t try to be fancy. Don’t try to impress others with your eloquence. Just talk to your Father in heaven from your heart.

Speak from the heart

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Matthew 6:7

This goes back to where we started with “The Lord’s Prayer”. If we learn and memorize a certain prayer, even a standard blessing we say before eating each meal, it becomes a vain repetition and our heart is no longer in it. We are simply “going through the motions” because of tradition. These are not the prayers God honors and prefers.

Conclusion: you don’t have to be eloquent. You don’t have to memorize someone else’s suggested words. You have to come to God with a trusting heart. He wants to give his children good things! Let him know how you feel. Forgive others, even when it’s hard, and seek forgiveness for yourself! You don’t have to pray exactly like everyone else – just be yourself! When’s the last time you had a good conversation with your Father?