You don’t need to try to force yourself to pray in any particular way. God doesn’t expect you to be perfectly focused when you’re praying, to include formal language in your prayer, or to follow any particular type of method or format. If you’ve been carrying around unrealistic expectations about how you should pray, let go of those expectations, and embrace the freedom God gives you to pray in whatever ways work best for you. The Bible shows people praying in all sorts of different ways, like through spoken words, written messages, singing, dancing, crying, and saying silent prayers.
Romans 8:26 assures you that God’s Holy Spirit will hear and understand your prayers even if you can’t articulate them, and is willing to intercede in prayer for you: “… the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” During Lent, you can explore fresh ways of praying to see what works best for you. You may connect best with God through journaling your prayers, taking prayer walks, listening to worship music, using written prayers from your church’s tradition, or enjoying spontaneous conversations with God throughout your day. Just show up honestly and talk with God from your heart.
As you discover practices that resonate with you, you’ll see that God welcomes you however you choose to connect with him.
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