Prayer is an opportunity to talk to God. For most people, prayer is a place to express their needs to God. For others it is an opportunity to know God; Prayer is all of these.
Here are five important things about prayer
1. I really want to pray. But how should prayer begin?
Everyone has this kind of confusion when it comes to prayer. We are all called to the love of God. Start praying with that conviction. The canonical texts of the Catholic Church speak of prayers for the beautification of material life. It begins with a Samaritan woman drawing water from a well (John 4: 1-12).
Christ asks her for water. Christ expresses his thirst for faith by meeting the Samaritan woman. It also urges her to seek the water of eternal life. God begins to work in us when we want to pray. This will bring us great comfort and encouragement. It takes away our worries and gives us concentration and serenity. God will work in us and lead us to prayer. So be willing to pray.
2. What is the best way to start a prayer?
The next step after realizing that God has called us to prayer is to determine the nature of prayer. This is the most humble and necessary step. There are two ways to make prayer a habit. One, it must be practically achievable. Two, it should be in line with existing habits.
There are two main things to note. One, make sure you pray at least five minutes a day. This decision would be a great start. Second, we are more likely to forget small things and decisions. Sometimes we may put it off because of laziness. Therefore, prayer should become a habit that should be incorporated into our daily routine. It is also important to make sure that you remember.
3. What should I say when praying?
Prayer is a conversation with God. We can tell Him whatever our needs are. There is no such thing as a bad prayer. It is important to remember that you are praying. God knows our strengths, weaknesses. Open your heart to God with that realization. Do not forget to say our sorrows and say thank you. Thank you for all the blessings you have given me- When we pray like this, the time we have set aside for five minutes will change to ten minutes. Let God speak to us.
Understand one thing when you decide to pray, prayer is a means of communication that strengthens our relationship with God. Otherwise, prayer should not be seen as an opportunity to give God a list of the things we need to achieve. Prayer is an opportunity to know what God requires of us and to give it to us. And do not inquire into what is to be obtained from God. It can be seen that the duration of prayer increases. The time God speaks to you will increase, then you can also deepen in prayer.
4. How can we overcome the crisis of prayer?
We need to recognize what happens when we are hindered in prayer. At times, the joy and peace of mind that come from praying may not be forthcoming. What will happen at these times? What is God giving us in these times?
This state can be described as a time of purification that is part of the spiritual life. We are being purified in these dark moments of prayer. This condition reveals the reality of prayer. God takes His comfort away from us. This time we are relying more on God. He reminds us that we should be thankful not only for the blessings from God. St. Teresa of Avila, a Christian mystic, says, “We worship a God of consolation; It is not the comfort that God gives. ” During the purification of prayer, God is performing ‘spiritual surgery’ on man. Through this process, He teaches us more deeply about faith and trust.
So face the dark moments of prayer and the crisis stages with more faith and trust in God. Believe that God is close to us during these times.
5. Should I pray only for myself?
The Christian never prays alone. The Trinitarian presence that always comes to him at the time of baptism is always with the Christian. We do all things ‘in God, with God, through God’. So it is always with prayer. Every Christian is surrounded by saints. They are God’s mediators and friends and our elder brothers who are in heaven for us. They are the ones who pray for us.
It is important to find a prayer friend and join a prayer group. Life partners need to pray together. Children need to grow up participating in family prayer together. So, unite in prayer for a better life.