Simply Praying

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.

–Colossians 4:2

How can we develop the habit of prayer as Jesus did and experience God’s power in our lives? The next two days we will look at suggestions for developing a praying heart. These practical tips will help you develop a powerful prayer life.

First of all, don’t complicate prayer. You don’t have to have a PhD in prayer to be good at it. Keep it simple. Sometimes we think if we put the right words in the right order, somehow we unlock this mysterious code that unleashes God’s power. Nothing could be further from the truth. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 6:7: “When you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.”

When somebody prays a particularly eloquent prayer, do you think God the Father nudges Jesus and says, “Man, have You ever heard a prayer like that? I can’t believe that guy’s vocabulary! That’s impressive. We ought to answer that prayer!” Do you think there is anything we can say or do to impress Jesus in the way we pray? Of course not. Jesus is looking for simplicity and sincerity in our prayers. Just tell God what’s on your heart.

Second, use a pen and a tablet to enhance your prayer life. It’s okay to write out your prayers; in fact, it can help you focus. Composing your prayers allows you to order your thoughts before you come before the King. It keeps you away from banalities like, “Bless this, bless that, bless, bless, bless, bless . . .” Sometimes I get on my computer and type out my prayers so I can focus on what I’m asking my heavenly Father for.

At the very least, I encourage you to keep a list of things you’re praying for and a record of God’s answers. I keep a running list of things I’m praying for, which I use as my prayer list every morning. In my prayer journal, I draw a vertical line down the middle of a page, dividing it into two columns. Then I write my request and the date in one column and God’s answer in the other. Over the years, I’ve been able to look back at my prayer list and see how God was faithful. Why not keep a record of God’s answers to your prayers to remind you of His faithfulness to you?

Today’s devotion is adapted from “Developing a Praying Heart” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2008.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.