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I’ve always struggled with prayer. I think part of it is the fact that I feel like I am “sucking air” when it comes to asking for the things I need. There is no measureable relationship between the energy I put into prayer and the results I get in my life. I’ve started praying lately, and found that the real benefit is in connecting with an outside power that calms the Spirit. What do you see as the benefits of prayer, and how often do you pray?
I rarely pray alone. As a family I like the tradition of regular family prayer. I usually pray that as a family we can show consideration and love to each other.
I also have a hard time praying. I know the fomula & can say one in public.
I have a hard time doing it in private. one on one.
I getting the feeling that God has better things to do than hearing me.
It is comforting to know that others have the same experience.
Mike from Milton.
What’s prayer? For me, I consider as prayer any and all attempts to commune with god. I do this as often as I can remind myself that this is the point of my existence.
My immediate reaction to the question is “almost constantly.” Doug’s comment can shed some light on the process. If I am studying anything that will increase my knowledge that to me is a form of growth toward the divine. If I am pondering someone’s need, or working toward anything productive (filling needs or wants of my family) that is also a part of my mission in life and at least in some small way part of my progression toward the divine. Most pondering to me is a form of prayer; and at the end of the day I feel a little silly reciting a formal personal prayer telling God a bunch of stuff he already knows. Prayer is more about me getting my own thoughts and priorities straight (wile seeking any available inspiration on the subject), and I work on that all through the day. Formal prayers with others are another matter, and we practice all the usual ways there. I pray serval times per week, mostly when I feel gratitude. I have a hard time asking for things because it has been really hit and miss in the past. During my divorce I prayed many times a day and still it happened(the divorce). Looking back maybe that was really the answer I needed. It seem to me prayers can’t make other people do things they would or would not do and God will do as he pleases. I pray for forgiveness and strength but I don’t pray for outcomes because they seldom happen as I would want them. As Orson said, almost constantly. It’s just in my thought processes as the day goes along and I express gratitude for simple things (ever since reading that some people in water deprived areas in Africa get one bath in a lifetime, I express gratitude almost every time I take a hot shower) or hear about someone in need or feel in need myself. My personal twice a day formal prayers are usually not very lengthy unless I am in turmoil and am waiting to feel the calming of the Spirit. I guess my prayers then are more “acceptance of divine will” prayers. I wonder if men in general have more of an issue with asking for help prayers. I know my husband seems to have that problem too although he expresses it differently.
A few times a week. In our house we say the traditional prayers over meals. Other than that, sometimes before I go to bed at night. But I see it more as focusing and getting at peace with my own thoughts. I really don’t have any confidence that it does more than that. Even as a TBM I hated closing my eyes for prayers. In public I look down, but never close my eyes. I really love how self-regulating that is. No one can “catch” you with your eyes open unless they are doing it too. Too bad more things in the church aren’t like that.
I have a hard time with formal, spoken prayer, but I am good at having a prayer in my heart pretty much continually. I don’t mind Verbal prayer if I’m out in the wilderness. A prayer in my heart I gave up on a long time ago.
“Verbal prayer” is prayer using words, whether spoken aloud or silently. have you (anyone) tried truly nonverbal prayer, either within one’s heart or aloud?
can prayer be prayer without words entirely?
can two or more people share nonverbal prayer?
I’m not big on formal prayer either. I do like to have a prayer in my heart, and of course, like all self-serving humans I can really pour it on when I’m in physical pain or feel a lot of stress. Me too Hawk — I laughed when you used the term “pour it on” as that is what I do. To WF — yes, I think prayer is often non-verbal…for example, I will often mentally repeat the phrase “heavenly father, help me to rely on thee” as I go about something challenging. For some reason, it has a huge impact on my inner peace. I have never experienced group non-verbal prayer, but I have experienced uncommon unity with other spiritual people — perhaps because both are praying in their heart about the relationship with the other person. I don’t know, because I can’t see it.
SilentDawning wrote:To WF — yes, I think prayer is often non-verbal…for example, I will often mentally repeat the phrase “heavenly father, help me to rely on thee” as I go about something challenging.
I think Wayfarer is referring to a step beyond that: no words in your mind either. Instead of repeating that phrase in your mind, you feel and imagine that God is supporting you. Most important is the feeling. In other words, you pretend that your request is real and happening, and proceed as if it were already so. Or you contemplate or hold that feeling for a period in meditation.
I personally find that form of prayer more powerful at penetrating our soul (or subconscious mind, if you prefer that term).
The prayer in my heart generally is non-verbal – which is why I used the term “verbal prayer” to describe the type of prayer with which I struggle. The prayer in my heart is a feeling of having my heart turned to God and open to impressions, thoughts, feelings, words and inspiration or revelation of any kind.
It’s a condition, not words.I try to live with an open heart, and that, to me, is having a prayer in my heart – since traditional prayer is nothing more than an attempt to communicate with or talk to God.
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