I’m never going to forget the first time I was asked to pray in public. It was a warm Saturday night in Miami, FL and I had just driven back home to meet my girlfriend’s parents for the very first time. I knew she was very special, and I was determined to meet her parents. She had warned me the night before by saying: “Look, I know you say your parents are really cool and all that, but my parents are different, and my dad specially will give you a hard time so don’t say anything inappropriate.” I appreciated her warning, and I continued with my determination to meet them with one goal: I have to be true to myself and that’s it. I put on a nice polo shirt, got ready, and headed towards her house.
Once I got to her house, everybody greeted me warmly and I started talking to her parents until it was time to eat. Her mom made a delicious meal and once we were all sitting at the table, her dad asked me to pray for the food. Mind you, I had never done this before, but I was eager to do it, so I did by saying, “God, thank you, please bless this food, amen”. I prayed so rushed and so nervous that I didn’t even close my eyes or pray in the name of Jesus. Her dad let me have it, he corrected me on everything I did wrong right there and then. I was very grateful for this opportunity because it showed me how much I still had to learn, and it lit a fire in my heart to pursue a deeper relationship with God. I wanted to learn how to pray wholeheartedly and so I started diving deep into it.
Here is where you come into place, I want to share 4 ways that could help you pray more faithfully:
1) P – Praise
Before we get started, I want you to look at Matthew 6 from verse 5 to verse 15 and come back when you are ready.
Welcome back! Jesus Himself praised God when He prayed, and we should always start by doing this as well. One way that really helps me do this is by taking a deep breath before I start praying. This resets my mind and it allows me to focus on my time praying. Some of the things I praise God for are my life, my family, and His love. I constantly praise Him and thank Him for many more things, but those three can get you started.
What do you thank God for?
2) R – Repent
This one can be hard when you wholeheartedly realize you made a mistake that impacted your life or the life of others. To faithfully repent, I recommend you to think about the person you trust the most in this world. Pray as if you were talking to this person and be honest to recognize your actions. Be willing to forgive and let God work in your heart.
What are you sorry about? Do you need forgiveness in any aspect of your life?
3) A – Ask
This step has been slowly transitioning due to the realization that I want to be equipped with skills rather than items. Sometimes I even find myself praying for others more than for myself. You can start by praying for wisdom and guidance and continue by praying for God’s will to be done in your life.
What would you like to ask God to help you or the ones around you with?
4) Y – Yield
To bring this post home, I must share with you John 14:6: “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” One of the most liberating feelings in my life is when I lift up to God what I’m going through. It could be a mistake, an unforeseen obstacle, or an issue with somebody. No matter what it may be, remember you can always surrender to God’s will in the name of Jesus.
Do you have something heavy in your life? Something that is constantly in your mind?
I learned this awesome acronym in my church and I hope you enjoyed it because it’s really helpful. Do you have a funny prayer story as well? I would love to hear those stories so please reach out and let me know what you’ve been through.