Am I the only one who struggles with prayer? Like, I went to church, and the pastor was telling a story about a woman who prays several hours a day. I remember thinking, wow, that's awesome. Wish I could do that.
And then it hit me... I CAN. And so can you.
My biggest problem was that I would run out of things to say after just 5 minutes. Or I would get so distracted that usually, my conversation went a little something like this... "God, I want to thank you for today. Please, help me to be all that I can be today and to be a blessing to someone around me. *(looking around)... speaking of someone, I forgot to call so-and-so... I better do that before I forget.*
And that would be it. I found myself getting so frustrated when, at the end of the day, I would realize how much I neglected to talk to God. So then I would start praying again, and I would fall asleep after 2 sentences!
Am I the only one?
One of the most fundamental things that a Christian can do is to pray; because, where there is little prayer, there is little power.... Prayer doesn't just change things... It changes me.
Another thing that I struggled with a lot when praying was the feeling of "Who am I?" I mean, I'm just me. But to ask for a miracle? Or for God to do something awesome for me?
God made the sun stand still... But that was for Joshua. I'm not as great as he was.
God sent fire from heaven... But that was for Elijah... I'm certainly not as great as he was.
But then I read in James 5:17, where God says that Elijah was human... Just like me. The difference? He prayed EARNESTLY.
ear-nest (Noun): a serious and intent mental state <a proposal made in earnest>
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There was an elderly man. I'm not sure what his name was, so we'll call him James. He was in his final days of life, so he called a pastor over to see him. This pastor came over, and when he arrived, there was a chair next to James' bed. As the pastor was about to sit down, James said, "I know this is going to sound odd... But, could you not sit there?" The pastor agreed, but thought this to be strange. The visit went very well. They talked for a while about their families and God. And when the pastor got ready to leave, the old man said, "I bet you're wondering why I asked you not to sit in that chair."
The pastor shook his head, and said, "Well, yes, actually. But I respect your wishes, so you don't have to tell me."
James smiled and said, "I always had a hard time praying. I wasn't sure how to talk to God. And someone told me to put a chair next to my bed and imagine Him sitting next to me. So that's what I am doing. I sit here, and I talk to God, and we just have the best time!"
The next week, James passed away. The pastor came by to check on the family. "Thank you for coming to see my father last week." his daughter said. "He told me he really enjoyed his visit with you. But there is one thing that I do not quite understand. And I have asked several people. Maybe you will have an idea. My father has kept a chair next to his bed for quite some time now that he would never let anyone sit in. But this morning, when I found him, he was laying in his bed, leaning over, with his head in the chair."
The pastor only smiled as tears filled his eyes. "Yes. I know very well. Your father passed away in the lap of our Father."
This is such a beautiful story! But I shared it to prove that it's okay to struggle with prayer. In fact, most people do! but it's up to you to find a solution! If you have to, put a chair in front of you, as James did. If you have a hard time finding the words to say, I am going to share something with you that I have found to be very helpful. It is called the A.C.T.S Model.
Adoration: Begin your prayer by taking a few minutes to thank God simply for who He is.
Confession: Is there anything in your life that shouldn't be there? Now is a good time to confess and receive forgiveness. Be specific. God already knows anyways.
Thanksgiving: God does so much for us. Have you thanked Him lately? Take this time to thank Him for all that He has done, all that He is doing, and all that He is going to do!
Supplication: It's perfectly okay to ask God to move in your life! He wants you to! Do you have a need? God already knows, but He's waiting for you to ask Him!
So now that you have the A.C.T.S Model, go talk to God! This is not the only way to pray, but if you are looking for discipline in your prayer life, this is the best way that I have found! So what are you waiting for? Your Heavenly Father is waiting to hear from you!
