We may think that we are able to face daily challenges with our own strength. We believe in the power of prayer, but many times we resort to it only when it is absolutely necessary. However, the reality is that praying is vital for us, for our spiritual growth and for our relationship with God. Yes! We need to talk to God every day to worship him, ask for his help, his direction and make wise decisions according to his will. What is the best way to do this? How should our prayers be?
In Psalm 63 the psalmist David gives us a clue to our prayer life:
Our prayers must show an intense yearning to know God, to receive his love and his power in our lives. At the same time they must express our decision to depend on him because without him our lives have no purpose. Prayer should not be something automatic or routine but should arise from the deepest and deepest part of our being.
Let’s look at some of the reasons we have to pray daily and analyze our prayer life. Let us ask God to give us more thirst for him and a strong desire to seek his face every day.
Some reasons to pray every day:
1. Know God better
We know that to get to know a person it is necessary to spend time with her. The same goes for God! If we want to grow in our walk with him we need to spend time with God in order to know him better.
There is no voice more precious than the voice of the beloved person and there is no one who loves us more than our heavenly Father. We need to learn to listen and discern his voice. God longs for us to look for him, to set aside time to enjoy his presence and to hear him speak. Set aside time for him, begin a deep friendship with your Lord and Creator!
2. Strengthen the spirit
Do you want to enjoy the presence of the Lord, be spiritually strong and reach others for Jesus? Hold on to him, look for his face every day and spend time with him. We can not give what we have. If you want to grow spiritually and impact your family and those around you with God’s love and presence, spend time with him and strengthen your spirit. Feed your spiritual life and you will see great advances in your life and that of those around you.
3. Deliver the charges
We all go through difficult times in life and we need someone to share what worries us. Prayer gives us the opportunity to bring our problems and concerns before God in full confidence that he will work with his power and his love. By bringing our burdens and trials before God we learn to rest in him and our faith is strengthened by seeing God’s hand work.
4. See miracles
Do you want to experience the power of God in your life? Do you want to see your circumstances transformed? Pray! Ask God to work and do it with faith, trusting that he knows what is best for you and the situation you are living. Present your problems to the Father and give him space to work. Do not try to solve everything by your own strength. Do your part, but cover all your efforts with prayer. Let God work in the impossible of your life, be alert until you see his miraculous power in action.
5. Receive your peace
Do you want to have true peace in your heart? Spend time with God! The peace he gives is complete and does not depend on the circumstances of the moment. It is a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4: 7) and sometimes does not seem very logical. His peace casts out anxiety, fills us and helps us grow with courage and with the confidence that what God allows in our lives will result in our spiritual good and bring us closer to him.
6. Confess the mistakes
Prayer time also gives us the opportunity to confess our sins before God and receive his forgiveness. God never rejects anyone who approaches him with a contrite and humiliated heart (Psalm 51:17). Quite the opposite! He is always willing to listen and forgive us. We need to learn to recognize our mistakes and confess them before God asking for forgiveness. We must be filled with his Holy Spirit to stand firm in him and live lives that glorify him.
7. Worship him and acknowledge his lordship
During our time of prayer we must exalt God, praise him recognizing his greatness and lordship. That worship must include our whole being. Our kneeling body expresses humility before the greatness of God. He made us every day we experience his goodness, his care and his love in our lives. It is important to recognize all this before him. Our God is the only one deserving of our worship and our praise.
Yours are, Lord, greatness and power, glory, victory and majesty. Yours is everything in heaven and on earth. Yours is also the kingdom, and you are above all.
(1 Chronicles 29:11)
Spend time with God! Talk to your heavenly Father! He recognizes his greatness and his love every day. Your life will experience great change and spiritual growth.
Read: “The Most Powerful Catholic Bible Verse and Quote of the Day”.
