“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2 (NIV)
I’ve come to adore choosing a single word each year to guide me toward spiritual growth. Last year, as I sought God for my new word, I sensed Him leading me to the word “pray.”
“Terror” is too mild a word to describe the way I felt about that.
For decades, I’ve practiced daily prayer, but I knew it was still a weak link in my spiritual life. During prayer, my mind wanders, my faith wavers, and I never feel as if I cover all the needs. Guilt and a sense of shortcoming typically characterize my prayer life.
Have you struggled with prayer too? If you’re like me, maybe you know prayer is important, but it’s hard to wrap your mind around such a powerful, invisible force. It’s challenging to prioritize time for something so intangible with results that demand patience.
As I surrendered and embraced “pray” with a trembling heart, I pictured success as developing calluses on my knees from hours kneeling in the dark early morning. But that image left me resistant, not motivated. Truthfully, I couldn’t fathom fitting this kind of assignment into my current schedule. Surely this was going to be the worst “word of the year” ever.
But that’s not how God worked at all. Yes, He challenged me to grow in intentional ways. He asked me to set aside more time for prayer, but He also brought some beautiful, simple tools into my life that have allowed me to find peace and even joy in prayer. God directed me to:
A pre-prayer journal routine that quiets my mind.
A book that led me to pray one Bible verse for my sons every day.
A friend who encouraged me to set reminders on my phone to pray for people I want to intercede for every week.
A mentor who modeled on-the-spot prayer for those with a request: the best guarantee for follow-through.
Voila! I was praying guilt-free. With gentle persistence, God brought Colossians 4:2 alive in my life: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Now I see prayer as an invitation for ongoing conversation with God.
As a rule follower and reforming perfectionist, I used to look for formulas and how-tos. Now instead of limiting myself to a set number of minutes of prayer in a prescribed routine, the simple tools above allow prayer to permeate my thoughts. They’ve created in me an all-day watchfulness. I’m constantly looking for opportunities to pray, which leads to true devotion to the practice and thankfulness as I watch God at work. There are so many moments that beg for prayer!
If you long for conversation with God that changes things, prayer is not as hard as you might think. Ask Him to send some simple tools your way, and let the dialogue begin.
Lord, I want to develop devotion to prayer because I long for a never-ending conversation with You. Please teach me to pray by showing me truths in Your Word and giving me the determination to use the tools You send my way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
30 Days of Prayer: A Bible Study in Psalms isn’t about checking a box or adding another task to your list. Each day you’ll walk through a different psalm, learning how to pray God’s Word back to Him with confidence. You’ll be equipped with guided prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, lament, supplication, and intercession — helping your prayer life feel less overwhelming and more like a real conversation with your heavenly Father. Order your copy today, and discover how 30 days of prayer can change everything.
Esther is the perfect partner for seeing our invisible God in uncertainty. You can walk through the biblical book of Esther alongside Amy Carroll and Lynn Cowell when you pick up a copy of their book Esther: Seeing Our Invisible God in an Uncertain World. This six-week, in-depth study of Esther is a gritty dive into her story that will leave you feeling equipped to navigate life’s questions and hardships.
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Psalm 17:6, “I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer” (NIV).
Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (NIV).
Is prayer hard or easy for you? If prayer is a challenge, what obstacles do you face in developing a deeper prayer life? What tools could you use to develop your devotion to prayer? Share your ideas in the comments!
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