St. Therese of Lisieux wrote, “Prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”
So, let’s get one thing out of the way. God is never over ‘there’ because ‘there’ implies distance. And He is never distant from us. He is here. Therefore, we begin with a reality check that prayer is not us speaking into a void and hoping God is close enough to hear. Prayer is a response to our ever present Father who is paying attention and listening even before we begin to speak.
Having a relationship with God is imperative before we worry about the technique, words, and forms of our prayers. We believe in the persons of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so our relationship can and should be personal. God is real. He already knows you intimately, and He desires authenticity.
Once you have established a relationship with the Father, here are three encouragements from Gomer to help in your conversations with God.
Begin in Humility
When you come to God in prayer, acknowledge that He doesn’t need you, yet He wants you. When He created the heavens and the earth you were part of His plan. God chose your existence and made you unique and unrepeatable, so you can fulfill the mission He has for your life. Begin with praising God for who He is and thanking Him for the blessings of your day, remembering that you cannot earn His love.
Ask Boldly
God isn’t a genie, a wish granter, or rich uncle who shows up and showers us with gifts and then leaves. Often our prayers can feel unanswered, and we become hurt or angry. That’s usually because our perspective is too small, and we cannot see with the eyes of God. His plan is bigger than our understanding of this life and this world. So, don’t hesitate to bring things to God because He already knows both your heart and His plan. He just wants to hear it from you!
Show Up Consistently
It’s not about feelings or emotions. Sometimes we won’t want to pray. We have exhausted ourselves with sports, school, theater, time with friends and family, and we tell ourselves that God knows we mean well. If you are too tired or have no creative energy left, sit in silence. Silence is important to prayer because our lives are saturated with noise, so much so that we cannot even hear our own voices, let alone God’s. You can’t listen unless you’re silent. Even if it’s just five minutes of your day, do it!
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