Prayer is an important part of our everyday life.
1 John 5:14 reads, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.”
Prayer is essential when building a strong foundation in our faith. God designed prayer for us as a way to communicate with Him. Prayer is used in times of need but also in times of gratitude.
Having an active prayer life and turning to God can be hard especially when we can’t feel His presence or it feels like we aren’t being heard.
Prayer is how we draw near to God, especially in those times when you feel out of place, unworthy, broken; the list goes on with all that we feel in our lives.
Jeremiah 29:12 reads, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.”
Certain situations call for certain prayers. Our prayer life is invariably changing with the seasons we are in. We all would like to control our prayers and hope they go the way that we want, but God is the One in control.
He knows our wants, needs, and desires before we even ask Him. He answers our prayers at the right time, and at the right places in our lives.
We may not receive our answered prayers in the shapes and forms that we hope for, but understand that God knows what is best for us, knows what our future holds and most importantly knows exactly what we need in that moment.
As author and public speaker Kytia L’amour put it, “Sometimes we think God didn’t hear us because we don’t see the answer to our prayers right away.”
She adds that praying according to God’s will matters and to remember that He hears you the first time.
Take a look at her short video “Pray Until Something Happens”:
No one has a perfect prayer life, but there are ways that make having a steadfast prayer life easier. Faith and patience are key when waiting on the Lord and in times of struggle. God uses the time of waiting to bring you closer to Him so that He can accomplish the purpose that He has for your life. God is constantly working within us and preparing us for what is to come.
Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
In your current season of life, do you find yourself fighting for control? Are you asking God to lead you, or are you trying to tell Him what you want?
Take some time to reflect on what your prayer life looks like, and ask God to prepare you for whatever season He has in store for you. Pray that He will lead you, rather than you lead yourself. Pray for guidance, patience, and direction. Ask to hear His voice rather than your own.
And be sure to tune in to author and Bible teacher Punky Tolson’s take on “What Is Prayer? Why Do We Pray?” from her series Life on Life with Punky Tolson.
In this episode Punky explains why prayer is a vital necessity to our spiritual life. She also answers the question, “Why is it so hard to pray?” You are sure to gain some practical help in strengthening your prayer life from her insights!
This article appeared originally on Liftable.
