Lord Teach Me To Pray
“I would love to see a tally of the number of prayers actually prayed against the number of prayers promised. I bet its about one in a thousand” - John Eldredge (Wild at Heart)
Confession - If this past week has taught me anything, it has revealed that I don’t know how to pray. I feel totally inadequate in my ability to “come through” for my friends when I promise that “I will be praying for you”. Has anyone else ever felt guilty about the inability to pray like you said you would? Lord, teach me to pray.
I might clarify that I have read the books, been in the studies and that I know the Lords prayer. I know how to be thankful for my blessings. I do everything in my power to give God the glory and praise which he is due through prayer. Yet when I am approaching his throne with requests that are more than I can understand, I feel like I have no idea what I am doing. When the requests are for things which only God can do, I’m not sure how to make the request. My prayers seem inadequate when the answers needed will be more than we can comprehend or understand. Lord, teach me to pray.
The flip side of that is the “human side” of me. There are many times in our journey when we are left numb with our confusion and don’t understand how a loving God can allow these things to happen. There are those times we don’t have the answers and struggles simply cannot be explained. How do we pray as ever fiber of our being wants some answers? I almost feel like I can’t make the request when I don’t know why it happened in the first place. Lord, teach me to pray.
I wish I had the answers and could admit to an incredible prayer life. I wish that I could tell everyone I have told I would be praying for them, that I have worn out the knees in my jeans through hours of prayer. After a week of several requests to intercede for my friends, one phrase kept coming to mind “Trust me”. Even in my ineptitude, I have heard God say “trust me”. My prayers may be weak, small, short conversations at best, yet each time, he has said “trust me”.
Lord, teach me to pray.
An adult praying as no diferent from a child talking to an imaginary friend. It may give you some inward comfort but talking to your self in any other sphear of life would be considered strange at least if not delusional. Live this life to the full, its the only one you get.
“Has anyone else ever felt guilty about the inability to pray like you said you would?” Unfortunately, I’m right there with you on this! Prayer is a hard thing for me too. I don’t think it’s that I don’t know how - I’m just not good at making it the priority it needs to be. That’s one of the areas where I feel like I fail God the most.
Great post - see you at prayer meeting on Thursday at 7:00?
Great stuff!! Trust me, you’re doing better than most.
It is hard to admit feeling inadequate. I am right there with you! I need to learn how to make prayer my first thoughts and not an afterthought! It is comforting to know I have others that feel as I do. Thanks for your posts! I read way more than I comment on but often find them to hit at home with me!