UPS

READ: Luke 11:1-13
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Shhh. We’re listening in on a student who’s in his dorm, getting ready to pray. He’s just starting. Dear Lord. Um. Thanks for, You know, loving me. And, and, oh, yeah, thank You for salvation. And, uh, help me with like my schoolwork tomorrow. InJesus’nameamen.

Does that sound familiar? A bit like an actual prayer we might offer to God? A too-real slice of our prayer-life?

If so, then we have the dreaded Undeveloped Prayer-Life Syndrome (UPS). Symptoms include repetition of the same words. Lack of things to pray about. An uncomfortable awkwardness. A general feeling that not much is happening.

We all suffer with these symptoms from time to time. What’s really bad is if we don’t know any other way to pray but to mumble a few religious-sounding words and direct them toward the ceiling.

If you feel that you are undeveloped in your prayer-life, perhaps you could use some suggestions to help guide you toward more vibrant, exciting, confident, and effective prayer. They may not change everything overnight, but they may take you several steps closer to where you want to be.

• Make sure your conscience is clear before God. “The Lord . . . hears the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29).
• Get alone with God. “When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father” (Matthew 6:6).
• Study Jesus’ sample prayer. “This, then, is how you should pray,” Jesus said before giving us what we call The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9).
• Invite the involvement of the Holy Spirit, who knows your heart and can express to the Father what you cannot express (Romans 8:26).
• Be confident in your praying. God has enough grace and mercy to cover your requests (Hebrews 4:16).

Do your prayers seem undeveloped? Try these tips, and take the time needed to build up your relationship with God. —Dave Branon

REFLECTION

• Does the prayer we eavesdropped on sound familiar?
• What would I like to see happen in my prayer-life that has not been happening?

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