If we want to follow Christ, we need to know where he wants us to go. And the main way we can discover that is through prayer. But have you ever wondered, as I have, how we are supposed to approach Jesus in prayer? What are we supposed to say?
Sometimes, I feel that I am speaking too casually, too colloquially, to my Creator and Redeemer. Other times, when I try to say profound things, or use elevated language, I feel like I am putting on an act.
As I looked over the readings for today, I found a common theme: Jesus tells us how to talk to him.
Here are ten tips I discovered.
10. It's okay to shout and complain.
In the first reading from Habakkuk, we hear
How long, O LORD? I cry for helpbut you do not listen!
I cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not intervene.
God responds. And He doesn't reprimand or say "No, no, stop shouting, give me some respect." He says: write it down.
9. Write it down.
Well, more specifically, the Lord says:
Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets,so that one can read it readily.
Does journaling help you to pray? I often have difficulty expressing myself clearly while speaking. Writing down my prayers helps me process my thoughts and gives me clarity and time to reflect. Another great benefit of written prayer is the ability to look back on it later, to see how your prayers have been answered and how you've grown.
8. Be patient.
Another reason the Lord says to write down the vision is that it is not time for it to come to fruition yet.
For the vision still has its time,presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
if it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late.
Do you struggle with God's timing? I sure do. But, he assures us in today's reading that an answer "will surely come, it will not be late."
We may feel that it is too late for God to answer a prayer, but we are finite beings, who can't see the big picture. That thought prompts me to jump to today's gospel, which encourages us to:
7. Approach the Lord with humility.
Patience, trust, and humility go hand in hand. If we lack humility, we won't trust that the Lord has a plan for us, and then we will struggle more with patience. And the vicious circle will continue.
Instead, Jesus tells us that after doing what we have been commanded, we should say:
We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do.
Jesus says this in response to the apostles' request to "Increase our faith." That is a beautiful request, and Jesus's solution is: be more humble (one great prayer to practice humility is
this one). But does "be more humble" mean "be more quiet and subdued?" Not necessarily, because in the Responsorial Psalm, we are reminded to:
6. Sing joyfully.
What's one way to pray? To sing! Yep, and not only that.
The psalm tells us to "sing joyfully to the Lord." As much as we are able to complain to God, and to bring him our sufferings and frustrations, we are also supposed to rejoice in Him! Not only is it beautiful to sing at Mass, uniting our voices with those around us, we can also sing praise to him when we are alone.
I went to a 3 am holy hour once a week for a while, so it would just be my groggy self and Jesus. One morning, to stop from repeatedly nodding off, I decided to sing. Even though I was all alone in the empty chapel, I was still self-conscious at first. Finally, I got over myself and just sang confidently from the hymnal. Talk about a great lesson in both humility and praise!
5. Come into His presence with thanksgiving
Today's psalm reminds us of this. Thank God! What is going well in your life? What are you struggling with? Thank him for the good things. And, if you can, thank him for the opportunity to grow in the bad things!
4. Don't try to test or trap God in prayer.
First of all, you won't win. But secondly, if you are feeling angry or bitter, this is a great time to work on softening your heart.
Today's psalm tells us:
Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.
If you are struggling with doubt, or anger at God, tell him. (See #10, it is okay to complain and cry out). However, after getting that off your chest, offer him the hardness of your heart. And then, try to get in right frame of mind to "bow down in worship" and "kneel before the LORD" who created you.
Even if your prayer is, "I'm still confused and frustrated and angry, but I know you are God. Help me," that can be enough.
3. Take a moment to be quiet and just listen.
Sometimes, we don't know what to say or how to say it. Sometimes we are stuck in a rut in prayer and just can't move forward. And sometimes, we are feeling great in prayer, feeling consoled and happy. At any of these moments, take a step back, stop "trying to pray" and quiet yourself even more. Sit in God's infinite love for you without saying anything. He loves you tenderly, and passionately.
Let His love sink in. Sit in it, quietly, for as long as you can.
2. Ask God what he wants you to do next. Then do it.
to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.
God has given you gifts and graces. How specifically does He want you to use them today? Ask. And then make a resolution to put your prayer into action. Make it concrete. Perhaps you'll decide to offer up your afternoon coffee for a coworker who is struggling. Perhaps you will give your neighbor a hand in the yard this evening.
Whatever small resolution you make will help shore up your daily practice of the virtues, and that virtuous act resulting from your resolution will in turn give roots to your prayer life. It's a win-win situation.
1. Turn to quick prayers throughout the day.
While it is good to have a solid set of time devoted to prayer in your day, it is even better to return to prayer briefly throughout the day.
St. Paul suggests that when we encounter suffering in our day, we bear it with God's strength and turn to "the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us." Yep, we can have constant, intimate, contact with God because the Holy Spirit dwells within us! Thank you sacraments.
Happy Sunday! Hopefully, reflecting on these ten steps will help you as much as they helped me.
For more tips on prayer, spend three dollars and pick up this beautiful, short, and simple book by St. Alphonsus Liguori called:
How To Converse With God. Keep praying!
