Praying with Understanding

Prayer, I believe is a conversation between us and God, either we are giving thanks, making requests or even asking questions. Yet it is not uncommon to feel like a prayer could be such a complicated and maybe even a delicate conversation to have, after all, it's God we are talking to here. There is no way that wouldn't be somehow daunting!

I remember learning to pray as a child during family devotions and how nervous I'd get, mumbling through my words, hardly able to get anything coherent out. My auntie, bless her, would jump in the middle of one of my many long pauses to rescue me and carry on with the prayer but once we were done, my uncle would almost chide her for not giving me a chance to learn and develop my confidence. I didn't blame her; I found those long pauses very uncomfortable too! So, I usually understand when people tell me they do not know how to pray and would prefer others to pray for them or they'll

just avoid it altogether and some even ask if I could teach them. My praying life got to a point where all I was asking God for, was the wisdom to know what to say to Him because I just found it too nerve wracking starting a conversation. It was then it hit me in my spirit that all this while I'd kept my mind noisy and busy with worrying, all I needed to have done was to wait and listen. God's been speaking all this time.

I now find comfort in my prayers, knowing that all I need to do is to respond to a father that has always been speaking to me. I no longer feel like I'm the one starting the conversation, I'm only now responding to Him through my seasons and circumstances, be it that I'm making requests, asking for guidance or simply being thankful, all this as led by the Holy Spirit.

Prayers are very important, and what I'm trying to get at here is that approaching God in prayer is in fact, a response to Him calling out to us to come and find that He's close, closer than we think.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8 NIV

The verse above not only confirms the close proximity of God, but it also shows the need for an action on our part. As soon as we are in the space of prayer, we are led by the Spirit of God. There are times when our mind would have a list of things we desire to bring before God, when we rise out of that place of prayer, we find we've done nothing but lavish Him with love and thanksgiving, yet we feel fulfilled that those requests, though not mentioned have found their way to God's ears.

Before we were formed in the womb, God had drawn up a plan for us, the warmth and comfort that knowledge brings should give us all the confidence we need to open our heart and mind to God.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

God knows we will always have a need to call on Him in prayer, so yet again, this shows that as long as we can be patient enough to seek Him with all our hearts, to know exactly what it is we are allowing our hearts to communicate, we can trust He'd listen. People ask what position or posture they need to take to pray to God, well, praying is like breathing so my response is 'whatever feels right'! You can say a prayer just as you would before a meal; when you embark on a journey; before a meeting or just saying a prayer under your breath or silently in your heart as you feel that prompt from the Holy Spirit. Some prayers that are dropped into our spirit does not require us to wait till we get home to find an empty room where we'd then proceed to pray for the next half hour, some prayers are just a spoken word in faith to seal what God has already settled.

Praying is not an art to be learnt or mastered. We must learn to pray with divine understanding.

It is and always will be that heart-to-heart conversation that we all need so badly, it does not matter whether we are praying on our own or with others, it is still a precious conversation to have. As soon as the mouth opens and the heart is allowed to listen, the words of praise will flow, requests will be focused on His will in total submission and complete trust.

Below are some well-known prayers in the Bible:

The Lord's Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Nehemiah's Prayer:
Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’ “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.
Nehemiah 1:5-11

Jabez's Prayer:
Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.
1 Chronicles 4:10

David's Prayer:
Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human! “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant. “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.
2 Samuel 7:18-22

Jonah's Prayer:
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains, I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ ” And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Jonah 2:1-10

Hannah's Prayer:
In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” “Not so, my Lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
1 Samuel 1:10-17

Daniel's Prayer
“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”
Daniel 9:17-19

Love always

Ige.x