I remember thinking that prayer was this formal act of going lowly before the King and presenting only my most humble requests. I felt that I couldn’t ask for too much. I thought there was a formula for it. I had to say these words, in that order, while doing this, in order to get that. But as I’ve grown closer to the Lord, I’ve learned that prayer is so much more.
What is prayer? One definition describes prayer as “a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God” Another definition states, “an earnest hope or wish.” Looking at those definitions, reminds me of going through a drive-thru at a fast-food restaurant, like God is waiting to take my order and quickly give me my request. It’s no wonder why one might shy away from praying because they constantly feel like they’re taking and giving nothing in return. Let’s look at the definition of prayer in the Bible, which says, “conversation with God.” Wow! Doesn’t that take a load of pressure off? Prayer is just having a conversation. Think about it. God is our Creator, but He is also our Father. What father doesn’t want to communicate with their child? The Bible says to pray without ceasing, which means we should be in constant communication with God.
I once heard someone say, “Why do you talk to yourself instead of talking to God?” I thought deeply about that. I asked myself that question. I thought, why am I conversing with myself instead of the Almighty God who wants me to talk to Him and has the power to help me, respond to me, and comfort me? I figured I could keep myself in constant communication with the Lord by steering my thoughts and my “thinking out loud” conversations towards Him. Through my prayers to God, I learned that prayer is more than just a conversation. When the Lord partners with me in prayers, my prayers become a weapon, a bridge to others, & a catalyst for miracles! The Lord has the power to transform my conversations with Him into amazing works for my good & the good of others, and He gets all the glory. My eyes have been opened to the power of prayer and what it can become. It all starts with a conversation.
