“The wonderful thing about praying is that you leave a world of not being able to do something, and enter God’s realm where everything is possible.” Corrie ten Boom
One of the first prayers I learned was this:
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
Amen.
I’m grateful that I learned how to pray when I was real little, but … really? If I should die before I wake? That’s a pretty deep subject for a 3-year-old to be contemplating.
Over the years my prayer life has been up and down. You too? There have been seasons when God’s presence is vibrant, and I am confident that He hears my prayers and answers them. I can’t wait to meet with Him – in my chair, on my walks, in my daily moments. And there have been seasons when I don’t really feel like talking to Him, and I wonder if He forgot where I lived.
And in every season—whether I “feel” it or not—I have known this:
Prayer matters.
Prayer works.
Why? Because of WHO I am praying to.
Prayer doesn’t work because I say the right words, or because I am spiritual, or I have all my ducks in a row. Prayer works because God is on the other side of the conversation. He meets me in those moments. And this God is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Almighty. Powerful. Creator of the universe. The One who hangs the stars. (Let that one just sit with you for a moment!)
God wants to spend time with you. He wants to hear about the situation that makes tears roll down your cheeks. He cares about the people you care about. He wants to talk with you, comfort you, guide you, and remind you of how much He loves you.
Your honesty won’t scare Him away, and He won’t be surprised by anything you tell Him. Releasing your hurts and worries – just getting them off your chest – somehow makes the world a little brighter. A little lighter, right? His tender heart is your soft place to land.
There’s no such thing as a “good” prayer. There are no “right” words. What matters is that we’re talking with God. But we sometimes hesitate to pray because we just don’t know what to say, right? We let the words get in our way.
So, may I encourage you today with a little help.
Find your chair. Take a few deep breaths.
Open your Bible to the verses I’ve written below. Or just read them from here.
Don’t worry if you can’t find your own words. Speak God’s words right back to Him.
Talk to God today. About anything and everything that’s on your heart.
He’s listening. He cares. He answers.
Psalm 103:1-5 (NLT)
Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)
Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths;
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 16:9-11 (The Voice) (I pray this one regularly – so much hope!)
This is a good life—my heart is glad, my soul is full of joy, and my body is at rest. Who could want for more?
You will not abandon me to experience death and the grave or leave me to rot alone.
Instead, You direct me on the path that leads to a beautiful life. As I walk with You, the pleasures are never-ending, and I know true joy and contentment.
NOTE: If you are tired, unsettled, and the worries don’t go away, read these verses out loud. God heals us in our worship. His words bring life. These are verses I use regularly to settle my heart and mind and get me re-focused on how big and majestic our God is!
Psalm 100
Psalm 117
Revelation 4:8,11 and Revelation 5:11-13
Psalm 119:30-40 (I love reading this out loud from the NLT version)
