How often do we hear people say:
'Well, the least we can do is pray!'
It makes it sound as if prayer is the least that can be done in any given situation, that it is, at best, ineffective or a final act of desperation.
I personally believe that prayer is the most we can do and it's the first port of call in any situation - because when we pray we speak with God.
However, it's not always easy to know what to pray, sometimes it's like a long shopping list of the important things we need God to 'fix', other times it's a jumble of thoughts with no conceivable pattern and occasionally it's just a silent scream from the heart. God hears all of these.
There are probably as many ways to pray as there are people - we all do it differently - silently, out loud, formally or informally - there's no wrong or right way. The important thing is to pray as we can, not as we think we should; God knows, and loves, each of us and knows our voices (even the little quiet ones in our heads).
It is through our prayer life that we connect with God. It is here we can have a conversation with Him, bring our thanks and joys, our grief or disappointment and our fears and hopes; as we know that when we pray, He hears us.
But what if we're completely stumped as to what to pray, what if we try but nothing comes! In Saint Luke's gospel the Disciples approach Jesus with a request: 'Lord teach us to pray', it is then Jesus gives us the Lord's Prayer. In it we praise the Father, ask for His Kingdom on Earth, to be nourished, as required, for forgiveness - and the strength to forgive - and for help against temptation.
It is an all-encompassing prayer that covers all aspects of our lives. It is so familiar that I wonder how often we give it the attention it deserves rather than just reeling it off by rote?
Our prayer life, rather than being a last desperate measure, is a vital aspect of our journey of discipleship, it connects us to God, so developing it is not just desirable, but necessary.
So pray about everything in whichever way you find best, or even in whichever way suits a particular moment and if you are really stumped say the Lord's Prayer, slowly, dwelling on each word, on each line - in whichever form you prefer!
God Bless
Mark
