My Oma who passed away nearly ten years ago now, was seen as a prayer warrior by those who knew her. I can recount several memories of her praying or hearing others confess how her prayers impacted them. Her life of faith and trust in Jesus is the legacy she left behind and since my time on earth with her, I have been curious and intrigued as to how one earns this title “prayer warrior”?
As a young girl I saw and admired her relationship with Jesus and it makes me think how prayer played a role in that close intimacy she had with Jesus.
Prayer.
What is it? and why does it matter?
Why is talking to God called prayer?
I don’t have all the answers. I’m still seeking and asking them as you are, (which is a beautiful place to be). If you’re skeptical, look at prayer as an experiment. You have nothing to lose, but maybe you have lots to gain. The stakes are low. You pray and nothing in your life changes...but what if it does?
For some prayer is the last resort - that moment of desperation where you call out to heaven or some higher being to intervene in your life and rescue you from your life’s circumstances.
For others, prayer is a lifeline. They breathe prayers as if its oxygen for their lungs, the very thing that will sustain them.
Many theologians and pastors would say that there are three different components of prayer - meditation, petition and repentance. All are good and necessary each day for a thriving relationship with Jesus - which is the point and purpose of prayer.
If you are anything like me then petition probably comes the easiest and perhaps first to mind when you think of what prayer is. Simply put its asking God for something.
If you’ve grown up in the church then repentance seems obvious. We are broken and dirty people who constantly need the forgiveness only God can provide.
Quick note on these two facets of prayer: don’t forget to ask! Sometimes I think we can become so complacent or in a routine that we either forget or don’t bother asking God anymore. Perhaps because it hasn’t happened yet, or looked the way you hoped or you think God already knows therefore why ask, or doubt if God even cares.
A story in the Bible was recently brought to my attention about the disciples during the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. Just imagine with me, there was a crowd of five thousand men not including women and children and there was only one boy with five loaves and two fish. The disciples had to go and see if anyone had brought any food with them by walking through the crowd and asking each person, do you have anything, do you have anything? (Mark 8:37-38) They would’ve received a lot of no’s, and after a few minutes it probably got discouraging to hear no after no. What was Jesus thinking, they probably thought. But sure enough they met the boy who had brought a lunch. But they had to ask. They had to go and see. So don’t give up asking. Pour out your heart to Jesus. Everything that is going on in that mind of yours - tell Him. Don’t stop asking for forgiveness. Not because you aren’t already forgiven or because He withholds grace, but because we cannot forget our great need for a Saviour in our lives. Don’t stop asking God for that person to come to know Him or for that great need or desire in your life.
Recently in my own life, I have been exploring that third aspect of prayer - mediation. Or how I see it, simply asking God a question and listening for Him to answer.
What I have been discovering is that prayer is intimacy with the Father. The more time we spend with Him and listen to Him the more we learn His voice. Now I have never heard an audible voice, so saying that I hear God’s voice may appear confusing. But when we spend time with Jesus in His Word, in prayer listening, worshipping Him and watching Him show up throughout our day, we learn His voice. We learn what He sounds like - peace, love, grace - and what He doesn’t sound like - condemnation, anger, anxiety. Learning His voice is such a gift, and so crucial if we want a deep meaningful relationship with Jesus that will bear fruit.
What if prayer was much more than just an empty ritual that we mindlessly do? What if it was an invitation to a personal relationship with Jesus who is alive and wants to speak directly to us?
Two things I’ve been learning and practising when it comes to prayer is:
God desires to speak personally to each of us, we just have to listen
Our prayers should not only be about us. Would your prayers impact anybody else’ life but your own?
Perhaps you are in a place where prayer feels hard and you’re not sure if you have enough faith to get your hopes up again. I feel that friend. Seasons of life are tough. But again, what if we approached prayer as an experiment. Take a journal or your notes app and try praying for two weeks or one month and take note of what happens. Nothing may change to the naked eye, but what if you became more familiar with Jesus’ voice, what if He shows you something and changes your perspective, what if He gives you peace, direction, hope? Approach prayer with humility - an open heart before the Lord - it just may change everything!
And the thing is everyone’s prayers are going to look and sound different because we are all different and each have a unique relationship with Jesus.
Prayer isn’t something we can tie up with a neat bow and explain away. It’s far beyond our understanding, but I think it’s more beautiful and better than we could ever hope for or imagine it to be. Jesus invites us to a seat at the table and through prayer we get to partner in on the conversation between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This conversation - prayer - doesn’t stop when you say amen or open your eyes, it becomes the air you breathe and the way you walk out your steps.
Below are some further questions to reflect on and talk to God about. (Yes you can talk to God about prayer). Take some time today and get honest with yourself and God, and watch and see your intimacy with Christ deepen.
How do you talk to God? Do you use a polite voice with proper vocabulary? Or do you question what to say because hello, this is God you are talking to and you feel the fear of getting it wrong. Just talk. As you would to your best friend. He’s not going to judge you or hold what you say against you. Talk to Him out loud. He’s a good listener.
How do you view God? How do you view yourself? This really impacts how you pray.
Are you praying to get something out of God or to know Him deeper?
Read John 17. It's Jesus' prayer for you and me.
Thanks for taking the time to read these words.
They were written with you in mind, but to be honest I’m speaking them right back to my own heart.
If we haven’t met, my name is Daysha! I am probably just like you in many respects. Someone who is trying to figure out life, her dreams, and her passions. Discovering who God called her to be, while cheering others on that same journey. A girl who struggles with insecurities, fears and shame. But who is showing up imperfectly for the glory of God and the good of others.
I love exploring new places, sipping on london fogs and having deep conversations around a fire.
Follow along the journey @daysha.albrecht
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