Prayer is such an essential gift that the Lord has given us. It is our opportunity to communicate with Heavenly Father. However, it is too easy to allow prayer to become rote or mundane. Often we do not really communicate but rather mumble or rush through the obligatory prayer. This may be a result of not having a specific purpose when we pray.
My six year old has been avoiding saying her prayers. I feel that she is old enough to say her prayers to herself and that she does not need my guidance. Lately she has been reluctant to pray. However this last week something changed. We talked about two specific things to pray for. One is for it to rain, since we are in a severe drought, and the other was to pray for the well being of a specific person. It is amazing to see the different attitude that she has towards praying now. She found a purpose for her prayers.
As I look back at my life, I’ve realized that my prayers take on a greater sense of purpose and effectiveness when I am praying for something specific. Often it is because I am experiencing a trial or watching someone else struggle with one. As we find something specific to pray for prayer takes on a greater sense of purpose. We may simply pray to be able to help someone during the day or we may pray for a specific answer or the ability to find a solution to the problem.
It is also important to prepare yourself to pray. Setting time aside in a quiet environment to pray also helps with the communication. I’ve also found that training my mind and body to do specific things at the same time helps my mind to focus more fully on the task at hand. Praying with a purpose can help to strengthen your faith in the Lord.
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Using Personal Prayer to Listen to the Lord
Making Prayer More Personal Prayer