Articles From Our Bulletins
Suggestions for Private Prayer
Setting: A tender scene in which a mother is urging a little boy to say his prayer before bed, and he’s stalling by claiming he can’t remember the words; so she’s helping by prompting him….
Mother: “Now….”
Little Boy: “Oh yeah, ‘Now I lay me down to sleep,” (he pauses)
Mother: “I….”
Little Boy: “I pray the Lord my soul to keep,” (he pauses again)
Mother: “If….
Little Boy: “If he hollers let him go, Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe!’” (a scene from the 1930 movie, “Passion Flower”)
Little boys aren’t the only ones who struggle to adequately express themselves to the Almighty Creator of the Universe. In a previous article, “Suggestions for Public Prayer Leaders,” suggestions were given to Remember: To Whom; For Whom; and, For What Purpose you’re speaking to aid those leading us in prayer during our worship services. While those still apply to some degree, here are a couple of points designed to help us in our personal or private prayers…
Don’t become ritualistic. Prayers at regular times (such as mealtime) are usually also for specific purposes, and can become somewhat repetitive. While this does not mean that they necessarily become insincere, it does mean that they may not address the full range of our heart’s desires to the Father. The point? Make time for personal and private prayer. Jesus provides keys to help make our personal/private prayers more effective in Matthew 6:6-7:
- Pray in secret, v.6. Our most earnest personal needs and desires may not always be appropriate for display in public, or even family, prayers. The private aspect of our private prayers allows our hearts to fully vent our frustrations, and completely confess our innermost thoughts and emotions to our loving and compassionate Father, who sees and repays in secret.
- Pray in sincerity, v.7. Many words are not always necessary. Consider how brief, but earnest and to the point, were the prayers uttered by Jesus at the Last Supper, Matthew 26:26-28; the apostles at the replacement of Judas, Acts 1:24-25; and even the “model” prayer Jesus taught to the disciples, Matthew 6:8-13. While these are certainly not necessarily private prayers, they do emphasize the point that we are not heard for our “many words.” Brevity may be the soul of wit, but length doesn’t prove sincerity when it comes to prayer. So, whether long or short, be sincere in your prayers- avoiding “holy-sounding” words and phrases as “fillers.”
Remember that you have Help. Sometimes (often for me it seems) we find ourselves seemingly in dire need, but of exactly what we are unsure. Our decided lack of wisdom, and certainly limited perspective, leave us knowing that we need divine help, but not at all sure of what specific kind, or even for what to pray. In such times, allow two assurances to guide your prayers:
- Your Father knows what you need. We may not know what is best, but He does, “… for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him,” Matthew 6:8. In such there is great comfort. Even if I/we don’t accurately assess or present our needs, He is already aware of them. Granted, the verse also says, “before you ask,” but I would hope (and trust!) that if I am praying with the proper mind and spirit (cf. 1Corinthians 14:15), He knows and will supply such necessities even if I never fully perceive or express them, cp. Acts 14:16-17.
- The Spirit intercedes. I’m pretty sure that the “heavenly language” isn’t Hebrew, Greek, or English. But whatever it is, “the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words” in any human language when “we do not know how to pray as we should,” Romans 8:26. Many of the times I’ve been the most confident that God specifically answered my prayers was when I wasn’t specific at all- because I simply opened my heart and said, “I don’t know…. Thy will be done.”
Don’t lose heart. The point of the parable Jesus told in Luke 18:2-8 regarding the widow and the unrighteous judge was stated at the beginning- “to show that at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart,” v.1. Unfortunately, we don’t often pray as we should, or as much as we should, because previous prayers weren’t answered the way we wanted. Consider some possible reasons:
- Our own spiritual condition- or lack thereof, may be hindering our prayers, cp. 1Peter 3:7,12 to 1John 3:22; or,
- We’re not asking for what is “according to God’s will,” 1John 5:14.
In the parable, however, Jesus is placing emphasis on the fact that even an unrighteous judge granted the petition of the widow because of her constancy. Thus, if our spiritual condition isn’t hindering our prayers that are in accordance with God’s will, then we need to just keep praying and not lose heart because God to whom we pray is righteous and just!
In our private prayers, therefore, open your heart to God in secret, knowing that the Father knows your needs and the Spirit is interceding on your behalf, and don’t lose heart!
- Suggestions_for_Private_Prayer.pdf (97.96 kB)
