Jesus didn’t come only to sacrifice himself, but to show us how to live a life that gradually leads to holiness, and that includes prayer.

This is an excerpt from Paul Miller’s book, A Praying Life, which shows what Psalm 23 without the Lord or the Shepherd reads like:

my; I shall not be in want.

me; my soul.

me; I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear evil, me; me. Me in the presence of my enemies.

my head;

my cup; me all the days of my life, I.

Without the Lord, our prayers and lives are insignificant vapours.

“Lowborn men are but a breath,

The highborn but a lie;

If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;

Together they are only a breath.”

Psalm 62:9 NIV

I want you to take a breath right now.

Our lives, words, and actions are so short and insignificant compared to Almighty God.

This emphasizes the importance of starting our prayer time with some form of the ACTS method: Adoration, Confession and Thanksgiving.

But when should we pray?

Throughout his letters, the apostle Paul used words like; without ceasing, repeatedly, at all times, when speaking about prayer. But Jesus is our #1 example. Over and over, we read in Scripture that Jesus got up early and went off by himself to pray to his Father.

Most mornings, I spend an hour of quiet time with the Lord. I listen to a worshipful song, pray, work on memorizing verses and do some kind of Bible study or devotion. But it’s taken a long time to develop this habit, make others aware, and enforce it. I don’t do it every morning. Sundays, I consider going to church my prayer, study time. And there are days it doesn’t happen due to circumstances beyond my control. But I have realized that the days I don’t practice this, my life doesn’t go as well.

Now, I know, especially as young Moms, it isn’t easy to find a big chunk of time to be quiet with the Lord. I remember our pastor’s wife telling me she would lock herself in the bathroom 15 minutes before her kids got up to get that time. Even 15 minutes of dedicated one-on-one time with Jesus impacts our day. When my boys were little, I was fortunate to have a husband who was willing and able to make breakfast for them, so I could go for a walk and pray. Who can you enlist to help you carve out some prayer time?

As my boys got older, 15 minutes before they came home from school, I lay down, closed the curtains, turned off the light, and prayed for strength and calmness to face the inevitable chaos. Maybe it means putting your phone in a drawer to cut down distractions and finding a quiet spot, while your children watch a show or play quietly.

Do you work? This calls for more intentional planning. You could set your alarm to wake up 15 minutes earlier and spend that time talking to the Lord, even if you just lie in bed while you do it. Ask Him what He wants you to do WITH Him that day. Maybe take part of your lunch hour to get quiet before the Lord, pray and read your Bible. Or perhaps you can carve out some time after the kids go to bed.

Develop the habit of talking to the Lord every night before you go to sleep. Ask God how HE thinks you did that day; what HE thinks of you. Journal what you hear from Him. Read a passage of the bible. It’s good to have His voice be the last one we hear before closing our eyes. I have discovered the Pause app by John Eldredge. You can choose between 1- 3- 5- or 10-minute pauses. I highly recommend it!

However, not all prayers are answered the way we want. The answer may be a quick yes—the person is healed, the job comes through, or the Lord may say wait, and sometimes it’s no.

When my son Matthew was ten, he developed an autoimmune disease which threatened to kill him at any moment. We tried every medical intervention, prayed fervently for him, with tears, and eventually had to give him over to God and trust in His goodness and will. Today, he is married with two beautiful daughters.

Last November, my other son and his wife were expecting a baby girl. During the delivery, complications arose, and an emergency C-section was performed. We all prayed fervently, with tears, for mother and child, but God’s answer was no. Baby Adelynn went to be with her perfect Father.

Why did God save my son, but not my granddaughter? I don’t know. But I know He is a good Father, if he said no, it was for a good reason.

Here’s a tip when we struggle with the Lord’s no or unanswered prayer. We are not God. He maintains the Earth, billions of planets, multiple galaxies and every living creature. I can’t even guarantee I’ll perfectly cook a roast every time! What makes me think I know what is best for my family, or the world?

The LORD is trustworthy and true. He only has our best interests at heart and promises to be with us through every circumstance, until we go home to rest eternally in His presence.

Dear hearts, instead of worrying about your life, spend time with your Abba. Pour out all your heartaches, concerns, struggles and needs. Remember to thank Him for all he has already done for you. When you do, God’s peace, which is beyond our understanding, will flow over and through you. It will guard your heart and mind as you continue to live in Christ Jesus. (Paraphrase of Philippians 4:6-7)

There are many good books on prayer. I have listed a few below that I found helpful.

Be well!

Patricia

Book list on prayer:

A Praying Life, Paul E. Miller

Praying God’s Word, Beth Moore

Power Through Prayer, E.M. Bounds

Created to Hear God, Havilah Cunnington

Desperate Women, Melva Lea

Praying for Purpose, Katie Brazelton