Thoughts and Encouragements: Prayer is one of the most important spiritual disciplines, and perhaps the most important. Let me briefly compare building a spiritual life with building a house. Just as the binding material, mortar, holds all the elements of a building firmly together, so prayer permeates and connects everything that has been achieved through other spiritual disciplines. In the spiritual house that God builds in an individual, prayer is an irreplaceable means of communication. Through prayer, we talk to God and He talks to us. Although God has other ways He can speak to us, such as through written Word or the beauty of creation, prayer is the only way we communicate with Him. When we pray, we find ourselves in conversation with God. We can pray aloud, but also quietly, in our thoughts. Whatever method we choose, it is important to know that He hears us. “Call to Me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). Man is in constant need of God’s revelation. “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint” – says the writer of Proverbs (Proverbs 29:18). We, as humans, are in great need of hearing God’s voice. Modern life places the individual in situations where many decisions need to be made, such as: which school to choose, what will be my life calling, choosing a spouse, decisions about starting a family, and difficult questions and decisions related to human sexuality. The multitude of decisions and choices before us demands a quick response. But what is the right answer? Counsel with God, who knows us and can direct us to a good decision, is of priceless importance. The lives of people have been changed because of an answer to prayer. History has often been changed because of an answer to prayer. Life, in general, is full of temptations designed to distance us from fellowship with God. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Mark 14:38), Jesus said to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane while they were sleeping. Very quickly, they all fell into temptation. Peter denied his Lord three times that very night. Peter did not pray, and it is no surprise that he yielded under pressure.
Preyer:
Lord, open my heart to hear You.
Lord, thank You for inviting me into conversation with You. Give me the wisdom to recognize Your voice in my daily life and through prayer. Help me to remain aware of Your presence at all times.
Help me to be patient in prayer.
Sometimes it feels like the answers to my prayers are delayed, but I trust that Your secret plan is at work in my life. Grant me patience and faith to wait for Your guidance in Your time.
Father, lead me in making decisions.
Help me to seek Your voice in all life decisions, whether related to career choices, relationships, or personal challenges. Let Your will be my guide.
Strengthen my faith in Your promises.
“Call to Me, and I will answer you” – thank You, Lord, for the promise that You are always there for me. Help me never to forget Your love and presence, even when I feel lost or alone.
Help me to be attentive in prayer.
Forgive me when I neglect time spent in prayer or when I fail to listen carefully. Give me the ability to hear Your answer in all areas of my life.