Does it ever feel overwhelming - the amount of things around you that need prayer? I know I feel that way. Between family, extended family, friends, church, finances, my kids, my husband, his work, and the list could go on - my head feels full. I want to be a prayer warrior and pray for people when they ask for it but it's one more thing to remember! My head is full. Almost every time I start the water to wash dishes in the kitchen sink I either forget to plug the bottom, walk off and a while later realize it's not full yet. Or plug it, start the water and forget, and have it end up looking like this with a kid yelling "Mom the water's on!!" I need help remembering things.
In the past I have split up things I pray for by the days of the week. I try to pray for my husband and kids every day even if it's short but split up everything else so it's not overwhelming. Like Monday my parents and siblings, Tuesday my in-laws and extended family, Wednesday church things, and so on. It's important to write things down. Do it however you want but write it down. Get some kind of fun notebook and make lists (is that the old accountant in me?) Use note cards, excel, or your ipad. Whatever floats your boat! If you write them down then you can go back later and see answers to prayer. I have notebooks from years ago and it's been neat to look back at them. To remember feeling frustrated or unsure at the time but see how God was working through everything.
I've heard it said that prayer should be like an open line of communication with God- picture an old school phone on your shoulder all day or your smart phone in your hand ready to text everything. If you set aside times of day for praying for specific things that helps. Morning or before bed quiet times are common for the general everything, but praying for specific things during your commute to work, your lunch hour or when you're making dinner might make it easier to get it done. Any time that you've got a little free head space from other things. You can also use seeing certain things as a reminder to pray. Like, when you go out the front door you'll remember to pray for your husband's work day. Or when you see the fridge pray you'll for your child's day at school.
Stormie O'Martian has a series of books on prayer and I've liked the ones I've read. What I most loved about them was the prayers at the end of each chapter. She used Bible verses to make up prayers. Years ago I went through her prayers in the book "The Power of a Praying Wife". I typed them all out and changed them to apply to us and then had them in my Bible as I prayed for my husband. Praying scripture adds some oomphf to our prayers. God tells us that His Word is living and active and that it will not return void. Praying scripture also ensures that we're aligning our prayers with God's will. You won't get shallow prayers like "help me have a good day" when you're praying through scripture. You'll get prayers like this:
Lord your word tells us that You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you. Help me to trust in you (Is 26:3).
The Bible also tells us to pray without ceasing. Making it not just a nice idea - it's a command. And any command from God should be taking seriously. He's got a reason for it!
1Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus
Ephesian 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
We don't have a God that is off doing His thing while we're doing ours. We have a God who hears us. He wants us to pray (talk to Him) and it changes things. There are lots of examples in the Bible of people who talked to God and it made a difference. I'm reading in Exodus right now so one example that comes to mind is this: Moses was nervous about speaking to Pharaoh and told God, who then let him bring along his brother Aaron. There are so many verses that talk about how God hears us. Here are just a few:
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Psalm 34:15
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
Hebrews 4:15-16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
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