The big question for today is—how do you develop a prayer life? The answer to how we develop a healthy prayer life is really not that complicated. It’s all about choice. We can learn to pray first by reading scripture and taking notice of the hundreds of prayers offered by believers just like us. We can also talk with veterans of prayer in our own life, those who are older and deeper in their faith. But notice something about the prayers recorded in the Bible. They aren’t contrived or intellectual, oftentimes. Those things don’t impress God anyway, since He knows everything about us, we can’t fool Him or hide or fake our feelings. 

 

In fact, the people in the Bible, and those in your life who talk to God all the time—just simply talk to Him. Some prayers are messy or sound selfish, such as Jabez’s plea for God to increase his influence. Others are said in desperate moments, but sound calming. Like David’s famous 23rd Psalm. 

 

Psalm 145:18 says, “The Lord is near to all who call on him in truth.” 

 

This tells us that we don’t have to do something in order to be worthy to speak with God. He simply is, and He very simply invites us to share with him, to unburden ourselves. And in Ephesians 6:18, we learn a lot about prayer. It says, “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.” 

 

This is the prayer of someone who commits time each day to talk with God. This prayer warrior knows that he or she can talk to God about literally anything. Next, and just as important, this person prays for others. This is a far more powerful way to pray than many think, because history is full of stories of people who prayed and God acted in someone else’s life immediately. 

 

The most important steps you can take in developing a prayer life are to understand that you don’t have to be a PhD in theology or have an IQ of 180. You simply talk to God in the most natural way. God warms to a sincere and searching heart. Next, you have to realize that your prayer life can take many forms, a quick moment during a busy day, in the still of the night with no one around, or in a designated area where you feel comfortable. 

 

Once you get in the habit of praying, you’ll be amazed what a good change there is in your life. Faith is strengthened. You’re no longer alone. Throughout history, men and women and children have made the choice to talk with the one who made them and loves them, and it’s not any more complicated than that. 

 

Let’s pray. 

 

Father God, in your mercy, you invite us to tell you what’s on our minds. We know that communication is a two-way street; nudge us to listen to your voice, and take as much time as we need to pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.