“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

Prayer is not a natural rhythm for me.

I’m embarrassed to say that as a Christian woman. But I sometimes get stuck ruminating over what to say and how to say it. I wonder if asking for what’s on my heart is even biblical.

Are there any other overthinkers out there?

In January, I determined this year would be different. I wanted to get to the root of inconsistency in my prayer life. Suddenly, I remembered a Bible verse I learned in childhood that I’d always associated with prayer: “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

While this verse may be commonly quoted, it’s also one of the most misunderstood and misapplied verses in Scripture. It’s tempting to zoom in on “he will give you the desires of your heart” and neglect the first part: “Delight yourself in the LORD.”

There it was. I hadn’t been delighting myself in the Lord. I had overcomplicated what God really intended for my prayer life. I assumed my words needed to sound formal and grand, so things felt stiff and rigid. Praying felt more like an emergency call to a stranger than ongoing communication with a loving God. All along, He just wanted me to come to Him.

At the root of the word “communication,” we see the word “commune.” “Commune” means “to converse or talk together, usually with profound intensity and intimacy; to interchange thoughts or feelings.” This was the ingredient I was missing. Consistent communication with God begins with consistent communion with God.

Think about it like this. If you only talked to a friend when you needed a favor, wouldn’t your relationship start to feel transactional? Over time, one of you might eventually grow distant; the relationship might get stale, and down the road, you’d just stop talking altogether.

So many of us are in this place in our prayer lives. I’ll be the first to say I’ve been there.

But what if it’s simpler than we realize? What if connecting with the Lord more consistently in prayer begins with being more present with Him throughout our day? While we make coffee, commute to work, heat up our lunch, go on a walk, text a friend, console a crying child, get ready for the gym, wind down from the current day, or prepare for the next, we can start seeing these moments as opportunities to pray.

We can pray through tears. We can bring our raw, unfiltered thoughts straight to Jesus. We can pray about the small concerns buried in our thoughts. We can pray about our anxieties and celebrations, our grief and our gratitude. We can bring our own needs and questions. We can cry out on behalf of others and what they’re currently navigating. We can pray out loud. We can pray in our heads. We can pray for big things, small things and everything in between. It all matters to Him because we matter to Him. Every occasion is an invitation to pray.

Friend, God wants to hear from you. You don’t have to use the “right” words or worry about how your prayers sound. Bring your whole, honest heart to Him. He already delights in you, and He’s willing to listen. Start with what feels heavy or what comes to mind first. There’s no better time to pray than right now.

Heavenly Father, You know my every need. When I draw close to You in prayer, I believe You hear me. I want to trust You completely with things I am bringing to You in prayer … relationally, financially, emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. Help me remember I can cry out to You in every situation, big and small. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Your prayers don’t have to sound polished, put together or perfect to be effective. God invites us to talk about anything on our hearts with Him, just like we would share with a good friend. If you want help making this more of a daily practice in your life, join us for our next study, Praying Through the Psalms: 30 Days To Uncomplicate How You Talk to God, starting August 7 in the free First 5 mobile app. Order your study guide today!

 

 

ENGAGE

Today’s devotion writer, Shae Hill, is a contributing writer for the Praying Through the Psalms study guide. You can stay connected with Shae on Instagram here!

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Psalm 61:1-2, “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (NIV).

What is weighing heavy on your heart today? Invite God into these worries and fears by crying out to Him in prayer.

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.

© 2023 by Shae Hill. All rights reserved.

---

What We Believe

If your life feels too overwhelming, click here for our care and counseling resources.

---