7 steps for developing a successful prayer life
For the Christian, prayer is not a list of needs and desires, but an opportunity to communicate with the Heavenly Father. What do you do when a day or two passes and you don’t have time to pray? Are laziness, vanity, and other things more important? Or stronger? Here are 7 steps for developing a successful prayer life that neither laziness nor fuss can hurt.
Make time for it
The more we pray, the more we want to pray. But to achieve this, we need to develop a rhythm or schedule: set the alarm, leave notes, write in a diary. Prayer is a practice that requires discipline and perseverance. Prayer is the greatest act of our day, and we will have to fight for it. And not just in times of trial or need.
“Act according to your faith. Determine whether or not you believe that God is the creator of the universe, your heavenly Father, and occupies a significant part of your daily life. Your prayer should become a regular quality habit so that you are constantly filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Learn to remove yourself from any distraction
Remove all distractions: phone, computer, television – the constant noise of modern life and find a way to separate yourself from these so that you can take refuge in the Lord. It may not be easy, but priorities are important. It could be the car at lunchtime, a quiet corner in the office or even a wardrobe while the children sleep.
Adopt a prayer position
Do whatever you can to make it easier for you to focus on prayer. Kneel, stand up, close your eyes. When your body is focused, your soul will follow more easily. If you can, pray in your voice.
Quote Scripture
This is a great way to start. It pleases Heavenly Father to know that His children hear His words, appreciates them, believe them to be true, and recite them back. Sometimes without realizing it, we start praying with words from the Bible: show me your glory (Exodus 33:18); turn away my eyes that I may not see vanity (Psalm 118:37); show on me a sign for good (Psalm 85:16).
Pray vigorously
Prayer must be vigorous. It is impossible to survive an encounter with the Lord and remain the same. Fight the battle in prayer, prevail and allow the Holy Spirit to move. Answers to prayer are blessings, but even prayer itself is already a blessing.
Pray with purpose
Uncertainty can make your prayer meaningless. That doesn’t mean you can’t pray in general terms, just not when it comes to praising God’s attributes, confessing specific sins, or thanking Him and asking for specific things.
“Before turning to God or the saints, we should prepare ourselves at least a little, reflecting on whom we are directing our petitions and what their essence is. Often people with many years of experience in the Church get so used to prayer that they begin to recite it automatically.
Repetition of words whose meaning is not clear or “muddied” by their habitual nature will not make prayer powerful. Prayer is not a magical incantation that has a special power in itself. It cannot be meaningless, thoughtless.”
“Name the sins you have committed and ask forgiveness for them, as well as for those you do not remember. Ask God to show you your sins. Remember that by acknowledging them, you agree that you are a sinner.
Therefore, the point is not just to say, “Lord, forgive me for stealing this and that. You have to acknowledge that you have stolen precisely because you are a thief. It means putting yourself in a position of humility so that God can change your character and make you like His Son, Jesus Christ. His character is fully consistent with the requirements of God’s law.”
Pray for and with others
Prayer brings God’s children together, often with people who have never even met. We have one Heavenly Father, we are family, and as members of one family, we should carry each other’s burdens. By praying for others, we begin to empathize more with them and think less about ourselves.
