Sometimes as Christians we view prayer as a chore. We neglect how big of a necessity it truly is, and also how big of a privilege it is.

“Call me in times of trouble. I will save you, and you will honor me.” (Psalm 50:15)

“Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” (Jeremiah 29:12)

“Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

As believers, we ask for the Lord’s will in our lives, but the Lord’s will is for us to pray. He commands it. If we aren’t communicating with Him, how will we further discover His good and perfect plan?

“Pray in the spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready and never give up. Always pray for God’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18)

“Pray ceaselessly” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

“So, I want men everywhere to pray, lifting up their hands in a holy manner, without anger and arguments.” (1 Timothy 2:8)

“Then Jesus used this story to teach His followers that they should always pray and never lose hope.” (Luke 18:1)

Prayer was a regular part of the Lord’s daily life when He was here on earth. As we pursue becoming more like Jesus, we should also try to model His prayer life.

“At that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray, and he spent the night praying to God.” (Luke 6:12)

“But Jesus often slipped away to be alone so he could pray” (Luke 5:16)

“Early the next morning, while it was still dark, Jesus woke and left the house. He went to a lonely place, where He prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

We need prayer. It’s hard to explain how it “works” but I know when we pray, diseases are healed, hearts are changed, hardened hearts are softened, needs are met, and guidance is given. Prayers get answered.

“Confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen.” (James 5:16)

“And if you ask anything in my name, I will do it for you so that the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)

The power of prayer does not come from the act itself, but the power flows from the one whom we are praying to. We are given the gift of possessing the Holy Spirit, and, as we pray, He will speak for us. Knowing the Spirit is speaking, we are bound to discover a new depth to ourselves and a new depth in our relationship with Christ. We are able to be in the presence of God, where He grants us His peace. When we are in God’s presence, whatever negative emotions we are battling with would have to pass through Him to affect us in that moment. We need prayer, and a lot of it! How long would any relationship last without communication?

“We ought to see the face of God every morning before we see the face of man.” –Dwight Moody

“He who kneels the most, stands the best.” –Dwight Moody

The most common reasons our prayer life lacks tends to be lack of time and abundance of distractions. For some, prayer life just gets stale and repetitious. I want to share the solutions I’ve discovered to reviving a “stale” prayer life.

First,set aside timewhether it requires waking up earlier, staying up later, or having a car ride without Spotify playing in the background. In this time you have set aside, remove all distractions. Pray when you are most alert; some days, praying in bed is not the best idea. A friend recommended this to me and it has really helped me get serious when I pray: I picture myself sitting in front of the Lord on His throne as I am talking to Him. What this does is spur me to first express thanks and gratitude toward His holiness and blessings. It keeps my mind from drifting away from my prayer and helps me keep my focus.

Sometimes it helps to write prayers down. I find that it flows much easier for me that way. I end up writing pages and pages, with no idea where it all came from! Plus, it is nice to reflect on them later to see how God has answered them!

Another thing that is vital in prayer is confessing your sins. Not confessing sins will hinder your relationship with Christ. Therefore, it is important to be honest and vulnerable when talking to the Lord. He knows before you ask or tell anyway.

Examine your hearts and reflect on your day before coming to the Lord so you may recall what you need to confess and you will be aware of the things you need His help with. Humble yourself; lift up all of your preferences and plans to Him, asking for His will.

I hope this article will be found helpful. I did not intend to spur guilt within anyone about a lacking prayer life, but rather spark a hunger for a greater prayer life. I hope perspectives will change from viewing prayer as a duty to viewing it as a privilege. After all, Jesus died and rose again so we could have a relationship with our Father above.