Why I Need to Pray
What goes through your mind when you wake up in the morning? Honestly, my mind seems programmed to go down a negative track as soon as I wake up. I don’t know if that’s a normal thing, or if it’s some kind of spiritual attack, but when I wake up generally my thoughts head (pun intended) down a negative track. My default seems to be to find some kind of flaw in myself and then to feel bad about it and start the day negatively. Not very healthy right?!
I say this because it illustrates why I need prayer. I can’t live without prayer because prayer connects me to my Father in heaven who loves me. I try to practice giving God my thoughts as soon as I awake to circuit-break any negative thought pattern developing. “Morning Father, thank you that you’re with me today. I notice I’m feeling like this, and I’m thinking about this…” and so on. Connecting with our heavenly Father is one of the best things I can do. Sometimes the best way to deal with distressing emotions and thoughts is not to look inward, but to look outward. Sometimes dissecting what’s going on inside, and reflecting on it isn’t what’s needed (although I’m a big fan of journaling!). What we will never stop needing is to look outward to God, to gain a fresh vision of His glory and thereby reorient ourselves in reality. The reality is, a great God rules over our world, He has demonstrated great love for us in sending His Son, and He gives great power to us through His Spirit. I don’t naturally think this way without communing with God in prayer (and in the Word too! But that’s another blog).
Notice how Jesus began each of his letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3. He always started with a vision of who He is, a vision that empowered each church to do what they needed to do! Ultimately this is why I pray. I pray because I need to see and sense God afresh each day. I need to enjoy Him and receive grace from Him. Prayer is my access to God, it’s how I commune with God, it’s how I maintain my awareness of His presence and keep the conversation going with Him. Let me encourage you to pray throughout the day just by conversationally bringing your thoughts and emotions to Him.
He loves you and He’s with you.
Ben
