What is prayer?

We have often been taught that prayer is reserved for religious people, that it must be done according to certain rites or rituals, with a particular posture, or even by lighting a candle in order to be heard by God.

It’s true that prayer involves the heart and often reflects a relationship with God, but as I often say, there are also simple prayers, I call them:

“SOS” prayers, like that heartfelt cry: “Jesus, save me.”

And that’s exactly what I want to share with you: prayer is far simpler than we often imagine.

And thankfully so...

Prayer is simply a conversation with God, just as you would speak with a best friend. It is a moment to open our hearts and share all that lives within us: our joys, our dreams, our hopes, but also our sorrows and fears, our worries, and the burdens we carry each day. 

In fact, prayer is the very breath of the soul.

We eat every day, and in doing so, we give our bodies the nutrients they need to function properly. If we don’t eat well or if we choose unhealthy foods, we end up with deficiencies, don’t we?

The same is true of prayer. When we do not pray daily, we gradually slip into a kind of spiritual deficiency, losing our sense of direction and meaning, which can open the door to inner distress and other internal struggles.

You might say:

- I've never prayed in my life

- I do not know how to pray

- I don't even how where to begin, or what to say

- And honestly, I'm not even sure I feel like it

That’s absolutely fine, you’ll agree that nearly everything we know today was learned through practice.

Likewise concerning prayer!

Prayer, a learning process

To encourage you to begin this beautiful adventure, full of unexpected blessings, that is prayer, I want to remind you that even Jesus’ disciples had to learn how to pray.

We see this in the Gospel of Luke 11:1 and Matthew 6:9-13. (NLT)

" One day, Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” And He said to them, “When you pray, say…”

Our Father in heaven,

may your name be kept holy.

May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us today the food we need, 

and forgive us our sins, as we have, 

forgiven those who sin against us.

And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power 

and the glory forever. 

Amen.

It’s a good place to start…

Prayer begins with recognizing God’s greatness and praising Him for who He is.

Then, as I mentioned earlier, it’s about sharing with Him what’s happening within us, but also daring to tell Him what we may not tell anyone else.

I assure you, He is listening. The Bible says:

Psalms 77 : 1 (NKJV)

"I cried out to God with my voice. To God with my voice; And He gave ear to me."

Dare to take the first step...