Daily prayer is a conversation between you and God.
All relationships require open and honest communication. The same is true of our relationship with God. Prayer is a conversation between our divine maker and us.
We often talk to him and ask for what we want instead of what we truly need. God is not Santa Claus. We do not sit on his knee asking for presents, although many do at times. God is our father, and as such, wants only what is best for us. He would not close the doors on us and is always there waiting to talk.
Many people struggle with prayer because they aren’t sure what to do or say. Imagine a friend sitting beside you. You share your secrets, desires, hope, dreams and sorrows. God is no different. He is sitting there listening, every second of every day.
There is no one way to pray, although some may beg to differ. All God wants is to hear from us and for us to live an honest, loving life. Some pray first thing in the morning, others at night. There is no set time. I try and do both, thanking God for another day and recapping my day at the end of it.
Prayer is not limited to these times. Several times throughout the day, I find myself talking to God. Occasionally, I find myself questioning what is going on. It sounds something like, ‘really, God?’ I believe he has a sense of humour, too, because I find myself in very comical situations at times.
God is your greatest confidant. Anything you say to Him is kept between the two of you. He can bear your burdens and your sorrows, your fears and your regrets.
Even when we are silent, God hears us. He knows our desires even when we don’t speak them. Sometimes sitting quietly with God is just as effective as talking. We are not silent in our hearts, and that is where we meet God, in the space between words and emotions.
When I need comfort or cannot sleep, I often say, the Our Father. I find great comfort in the words which calm my weary soul. The same is true for the Hail Mary prayer. When I need courage or am fearful, I pray to our heavenly mother and think about what she went through. I draw strength from her as well. Between the two, I often end up with a short version of the rosary.
There are many ways to pray, and several prayer books offer suggestions to help you. The key is to keep the doors of communication open and talk to God. The best way to do that is through daily prayer.
Free inspirational or motivational posts can be found on the inspirational page of Leslie’s website.