Has your prayer life turned stale, boring, or colorless? Something is wrong. When I find myself repeating the same prayers over and over, prayer becomes monotonous. When monotony creeps in, I need to take a step back and look at what I’m doing or not doing and try something different. That something different can be a small change of habit or a significant shift in perspective. Below are a few suggestions to jump-start prayer time:
Fuse your prayer time with God’s word.
A speaker I heard told us to meditate every day on a psalm. He suggested we read the psalm that corresponds with the day of the week. Say the day is the 10th (I’ll keep this simple). You would skim through Psalm 10. If something spoke to you, then you would spend time in that psalm during your quiet time. If that psalm does not speak to you, add 30, so in this case, you would read Psalm 40. You would keep adding 30 until you found the psalm that resonated with you that day.
Schedule a specific time to pray.
Set up a daily reminder to pray. Rouse yourself five minutes earlier in the morning. Go to bed ten minutes earlier. Fight for time with God. When you schedule time, you show yourself and God that prayer matters. When prayer matters, your awareness of God’s presence heightens.
Add praise, confession, and thanksgiving.
This Christmas, I received a Christmas card that was over the top. I wanted to rip the card to shreds. My life was turned upside down at that time. God convicted me, and I confessed my jealousy to God. A week later, I received a condolence card from the gracious lady who sent the Christmas card. I knew God was telling me, “I heard your confession. I am your personal God too, Sally.” Confession cleanses the heart and clears the path to God. Praise, confession, and thanksgiving will turn our minds and hearts away from the world and toward God.
Read a book on prayer.
I’m currently reading A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller. The author is making me rethink how I approach God. He is challenging me to approach God like a child.
Keep a journal.
As you read the Bible, write down what you hear from God. Ask Him questions. Circle words in your Bible that jump out. Engage in dialogue with Him. We tend to think prayer time is a monologue where we pray over our list of concerns, but God wants to speak to us. For heaven’s sake, give him a moment to speak! Be a Samuel and say, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).
Be specific.
Write down or ask God exactly what you need or want. When God answers one of those prayers, record it. Those answers will boost your faith, and your prayers will grow bolder.
Try one or more of these suggestions for 30 days, then see where your prayer life goes. If you lack motivation, start with this simple prayer: God put in me a desire to know you. Spark a fire in my spirit to want to spend time with you. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, and mind.
If you think of it, come back to the blog in 30 days and comment on what you heard from God or if your life was changed in any way.
Remember, there is no right or wrong way to pray. There are no words—eloquent or jumbled—that God does not hear. Just jump in and have a dialogue with the King of kings!
How can I pray for you today?