What does prayer look like in your life?
I have had a long fight with this question. Which might seem silly, because it is a pretty basic fundamental of being a Christian right? We pray all the time. Just tonight we prayed when we first came together, when split into small groups, when we were done with small group and then again when we came back together in big group, and then again when we left big group. Phew.
I can quote the Lord's prayer, verses in James and other Books about praying and of course the infamous verse in 2 Thess. "Pray continuously." But I start getting tripped up...how does prayer coincide with the will of God? Does what I pray "change His mind"? Is it supposed to be a dialogue? How am I supposed to stay focused when I try and silently listen.? Jesus was our example in everything, but I've always looked at His prayers and thought "but He is God...of course He is good at praying. I bet His mind never strayed."
I get to hung up on doing it "right" or searching for a specific outcome, not specifically in answer to my prayer, but some kind of feeling inside of myself to know that I've "really prayed" or "really communed" with Him. I want prayer to make me feel close to Him.
Someone said something tonight that helped. I can't quote them directly without messing it up, but the point that I came away with was: the heart of God is to have a relationship with us. The more we know a person, the better we are at talking with them. So, get to know God, its what He wants most.
I don't have to be afraid or "figure prayer out." He is gracious and compassionate and pleased by the desire to please Him.
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