Have you ever asked any of these questions before:
- How do I pray?
- Who am I praying to?
- Why is it a commandment to pray?
- I feel silly... like my prayer is just bouncing off the wall... is anyone listening?
- When should I prayer?
- What should I pray for?
- Can praying really change my life, let alone just make a difference?
- How do I know when I get an answer?
I prayed in secret for almost a year to know if Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live. I hoped that they did. I believed they might. But I wanted to know for myself. And that journey started my own trial of faith and also putting prayer to the test.
This article (CLICK HERE) is awesome! And the five simple principles stated, I have found true for myself. How do I know they work--because every single one of the principles I have tested with my own prayers.
Persitance is the key.
Kneel down, bow the head, and open with your thoughts to Heavenly Father. Kneeling and bowing is a form of respect. I have found for myself that casually laying in bed and repeating words before I drift in and out of sleep has WAY LESS impact than when I show respect and reverence of actually kneeling and bowing my head.
And boy do I have a testimony of the power of praying out loud. Even when I go on business trips and share a hotel room with a co-worker, I sneak away into the bathroom, turn on the fan and kneel down and vocally whisper out my prayer. (AND if you have a little ADD like my brain tends to have when needing to focus at time, praying out loud helps me focus on the words I am saying. Again, the article is dead on with all true principles I have applied to my prayers.)
I was taught once the value of being completely honest with God when praying. So when I first was "testing" the waters of prayer I told God that I felt silly and as if I was speaking to the room and because I did not know He was there, how would I know If and when He did answered me... thank goodness I did not stop trying just because at first I was uncomfortable with all I didn't know. **And this is not to say I know everything. I DON'T! So much more to learn, but the truths I have learned and applied--LIFE CHANGING in the world of my prayers.
God already has blessings that He has ready to give us, but receiving those blessings are conditional upon us asking for them (see bible dictionary prayer).
I found that I could pray anytime anywhere. And the things I should pray for, were and are ever evolving. I have learned, not fully in depth, but scratching the surface of the power of asking. Heavenly Father won't force me to learn His ways or seek blessings. So it takes my agency in asking to know and find things out on myself.
Can praying really make a difference/change my life? I have journals and pages and pages of the difference it has made in my life.... just type in the search engine at the top of the page on the right the word "prayer" and just see how many posts come up. Careful, reading them all might take you a week!
See I never prayed to see God or Jesus Christ. I simply asked that I could be blessed with something I could not deny. I wanted to know that I knew they lived. Not because others claimed it, I want to know for myself. And if God was my Father, then wouldn't He want me to know for myself...
I received my answer! It didn't happen the way I thought it would, I didn't see anything or have angels sore around me--but I felt words impressed upon my mind in such a way that my prayer was answered! I KNEW/KNOW Jesus Christ is the Savior and Heavenly Father lives/is my Father. And it is not some special club membership or holding one's breath a certain way. You can know for yourself completely and fully without question! I guess the real question is how bad do you want to know? Enough that you will devote time and energy until you get an answer?
How grateful I am for a God that never gave up on my stubborn self.
Basics with prayer:
- Address God: Dear Heavenly Father, Dear God
- Thank Him for any/all things. Some days when it is really bad, I sometimes have to ponder over what I am thankful for, and there have been days where all I could come up was I was thankful my knees still worked so I could kneel. And on better days, the tears of gratitude flow freely.
- Ask Him for the things you stand in need of. Don't fall for the deception that "your" askings are not as important as "big" things. Or the trap of thinking that there is so much going on in others lives--that you don't want to bother/waste God's times with your items... If you have ever thought those things, pat yourself on the back! Join the club of "You have been deceived/tricked by the Devil" Club. Believe me, I sometimes know that club all a little too personal. But seriously, stop and think for a min. If you are a parent, and your child asks something of you, do you throw up your hands and storm off? I know, rediuolous, but so is the thought that one doesn't want to "bother" / trouble the Lord when there are so many more imporant things.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matt 7)
- (Sorry no bullet should be here but I can't seem to make the coding go away.) Seriously, and again, the logic is like getting your arm cut off and saying, "I am not going to bother the doctor because there are more important matters like that guys missing tounge." (Silly, yes, but honestly it is silly to be tempted into thinking we don't want to trouble/bother the Lord. So if any of those thoughts arise, I am telling you they are not inspired thoughts--squish them like the nasty mosquitos they are! For such thoughts are to stop you from seeking God/coming unto Him therefor the Club captain, Satan Himself, pins another Gold star to His forehead of getting you to stop your attempt at drawing close to the Lord.) We can ask and should pray over all and any things! God wants us to!
- We can pray for others. I personally know I have been sustained by the specific prayers of others. How humbling to know that my name made it into their sacred communion time with Heavenly Father. Humbling, beauitful, I will take it, blessing!
- When ending your prayer simply close it "in the name of Jesus Christ, amen". It is all because of Christ that we can pray to the Father.
Holy cow those are all good and have taught me much about prayer and personal revelation. But when it is all said and done, even if you have no more then a desire TO BELIEVE... let that desire work within you (see Alma). I was skeptical of receiving revelation at times and far too often went through the motion of praying and not putting anything personal into it... BUT I KNOW FOR MYSELF that GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS. HE HEARS US. HE LOVES US. HE WILL LEAD US. IF WE ARE PERSISTENT WITH HUMILITY HE WILL TEACH US HOW TO PRAY, HOW TO RECEIVE ANSWERS TO PRAYER, HOW TO HAVE OUR WORDS PENETRATE THE HEAVENS AND NOT JUST BOUNCE OFF OUR BEDS.
No, I am not screaming, just very intensely testifying that if this post is for you and you doubt how to pray or if God really hears you, or if your prayers really do make a difference in your life/the lives of those you love--I am hear to tell you they do.! He does! They will/are!
Enter the world of prayer at your own risk! :)
For surely you are in store for quite a ride. There is no limit to the prayers that can be offered, words can be inspired to where we pray for the very things the Father would have us pray for. Prayer can change your life and the lives of those whom you love and have stewardship over. Do you have faith enough to test it? Are you willing to consistently put in the work of striving to say sincere prayers? Do you want it bad enough?
Even if you only have the desire TO believe... let that desire work within you.
GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS. You are not alone. You can pray for help and strength to be able to pray! So ironic how the whole system works... but work it does!
Life changing--yes!
Easy to become complacent--yes!
But easier to start back the habit of sincere, heart felt prayer. What is the condition of your heart? Where is your treasure/brain as you prayer? GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS! Are you willing to work for such a knowledge--because yes work in the form of your faith, constancy, and HOPE that God WILL answer your prayers=required. My personal study of the scriptures, particularly The Book of Mormon, opened my mind to new, exciting possibilities. God is not a respecter of persons. So what He will do for one, if it is not against His will, He will do for others/ME!
Even if you have no more than just a desire to believe what has been written, let that desire work within you. TEST GOD! PROVE HIM! TRY! **and advice--be ever ready with a note pad and pen that works. When God answers your prayer, (His timing, His way) writing it down will not only help you remember what was given, but at least in my life, it is like God notices that and says, "Bryndi, that was important enough to write down... well here let me poor out some more important thoughts!" Power in writing. Again the awesomeness articles are sooo true! TRIED TESTED IN MY OWN LIFE!
I am a witness that no matter who you are, what you have done or should have done--does not put an X on your life being filled with revelation and personal blessings from Heavenly Father because there is repentance and forgiveness, cleansing through the blood of the Lamb. His Son is the Master healer. He can and will heal all that is broken... if we will simply come unto Him, ask and plead, trust and serve. Prayers are powerful... I promise you can know it for yourself! And when you realize it for the first time, I would love to know!
Happy Praying!!
I am grateful for Christmas music on Pandora in the Octobers of my life!
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