Sometimes it's hard to know how to start praying. Below are some ideas to get you started:
The Lord's Prayer - when you don't know what to pray, pray the Lord's Prayer as Jesus taught his disciples.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:6-15, Luke 11:2-4)Pray with your spirit, your heartfelt thoughts and feelings.
In the same way the Spirit also comes to help us...For we do not know how we ought to pray: the Spirit himself pleads with God for us in groans that words cannot express. And God, who sees our hearts, knows what the thought of the Spirit is; because the Spirit pleads on behalf of his people and in accordance with his will. (Romans 8:26-27)Pray A.C.T.S. - an acronym for important parts of prayer.
- Adoration: Almighty and everliving God, you are wonderful...
- Confession: I am sorry for the way I acted, my selfishness, ....
- Thanksgiving: Thank you Lord for your son Jesus. Thank you for this day...
- Supplication: I ask you to help me, Lord. Please grant me...Make a list of people or situations that need prayer. Break up your list so that you can focus on just two or three items each day. Keep your list in a place that you can find it each day, like next to your bed, at your meal table, or on your computer.
Journal your thoughts, prayers, praises. Look back once a month and see what God has done in your life or a specific situation. You may find yourself beginning to see how God is still very active and present today.
Pray with and for one another. It's not easy being Christian today. With all of the distractions in our culture, it is hard to find time, focus, and discipline to follow God's path. It's not easy being a Christian leader - pray for your pastor, other leaders in your church, all volunteers, the leaders of the greater church.