I was browsing a few other blogs this morning and came across a couple posts about praying over at the Quiet-Mom blog. You can check them out by clicking the links below:
Beginning Everything with Prayer
This is really awkward for me to say out loud, but sometimes I find it difficult to pray. It’s really one of the areas of my life that I want to work at making better. The hardest part is that I know it is holding me back from so much by not having that close relationship with God through praying.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I DO pray, but I just feel awkward when I do sometimes. Just ask the ladies at my weekly bible study on the nights I’m asked to open up with prayer.
I don’t feel like I’m as close to God as I want or need to be because I get tongue tied, spend a lot of time thinking about what I should say, etc. After reading Annette’s second post I realized I’m trying to “get it right” and the perfectionist comes out in me even with God who knows more about me than anyone ever could. In other words, I’m being me but not being me, if that makes sense.
God knows I’m a perfectionist and he already knows that I struggle in the area of prayer, right? So, am I really keeping it real with him when I pray and stumble and throw things in the prayer just for conversation sake?
Tough question, because on one hand yes, I’m keeping it real by being the real me and not just making something up to pray about for the sake of saying I prayed. But…on the other hand, I’m not opening myself up and just saying “Father, I’m not really sure what to say right now, so can you help me in the way only you can?”
I know this post probably confused many of you, but I’d like to know…
Do you ever have a similar problem when it comes to praying? How do you keep it real with God - or do you just take the fact that he knows what you’re going to do before you do and let it be?
February 24th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Arika, you’re definitely not alone. I remember feeling so awkward about prayer, then I went through this ‘flowery prayer’ phase - and then I finally got real and just relaxed.
All God wants from us is that we seek Him out and share our lives with Him. What we say and how we say it will change over time.
You know what helped me out at first? Writing out my prayers in a journal. Have you ever tried that?
Kelly’s last blog post..Are You Writing For Others For Free?
February 24th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
You know Arika, this is so normal for many of God’s children.
Kelly is right, just be Arika and leave the rest to the side. What is that you really want God to know? Not that He doesn’t already know, but hey it helps us.
You know the prayer journal is a good idea.
I am a poet and write poetry as well as normal journal entries. I talk to God all through the day. There is not right or wrong way to do it….the thing is to just do it, you know.
There are times when I pray and I feel like I am twisting it all up. But it helps me to remember that I am not praying alone. The Holy Spirit know what I am trying to say and He conveys my prayers to God in ways I never could.
We should always pray on all occasions because it is one of our main connections to Him. But we should never feel as if we have to say it just right to get it across to Him.
Girl, just pray!
LaTara Ham-Ying’s last blog post..I Surrender All
February 24th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
You totally described me in your post Arika! I struggle with this too… Annette’s post really got to me, because I realized how often I go to Him with a complaining heart
And opening up a prayer for a group? Forget it! That’s worse than public speaking for me, lol! So, you’re definitely not alone… I’m right there with ya!
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