Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: The Lord's Prayer
• Method 2 of 3: The Emotional Benefits of Prayer
• Method 3 of 3: Varieties of Prayer
• Sources and resources

If you want to understand what constitutes a prayer life, or are simply interested in what types of prayer there are, here you will learn about different ways of how you can turn to God in prayer. You will find many tips on where and how to pray, and you will be able to structure your prayer in accordance with what Christ Himself teaches about it in the pages of Holy Scripture. You will also learn how prayer can help you deal constructively with your emotions.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: The Lord's Prayer

1. 1 Study the Lord's Prayer. This prayer is addressed to God, and in the Gospel of John 10:30 the words of Christ are heard: "I and the Father are one." The Lord's Prayer can be found in Matthew 5-7. These passages also contain the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes (blessed are those who weep, for they will be comforted). The main message of the Sermon on the Mount is that the place of God in the inner life of man is important, and not the outer fulfillment of religious precepts.
   • Jesus condemns religious leaders who publicly demonstrate their righteousness.
   • Christ claims that true righteousness belongs to the least of this world: the weeping, the suffering, the humble - even if they do not outwardly appear righteous.
   • For example, in the Gospel of Matthew 6: 5 the following words of Christ sound: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites who love in synagogues and on street corners, stopping to pray in order to appear before people."
2. 2 Better go to your room, shut the door and pray. This is one of Christ's teachings regarding prayer in Matthew 6: 6. And then Christ says: "and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly .." Find a room or other secluded place and pray to God there. Seek comfort from God "who sees in secret."
   • This is not the only place to pray. You can pray “incessantly” (you can pray wherever you are), as the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians.
3. 3 Don't get carried away with quoting in your prayers. In Matthew 6: 7, Jesus teaches: "But when praying, do not say unnecessary things, like the Gentiles, for they think that in their verbosity they will be heard." Nowadays, people often use certain rituals, quotes and chants in prayer, but in essence all this is not necessary in order to pray to Christ.
   • In addition, when reading the Lord's Prayer, it is not at all necessary to list all your problems. They can be prayed for in a more general prayer or simply at other times.
   • This is followed by the words of Christ, containing a warning: "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."
4. 4 Meditate on the Lord's Prayer. You can read it aloud or silently. Try to read it very slowly, so that every word penetrates inside you. In Matthew 6: 9-13, Christ teaches: “Pray this way: Our Father who art in heaven! hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, as in heaven, on earth; Give us our daily bread for this day; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen".
   • “Our Father who art in heaven! hallowed be thy name ”- these words help us to focus on God, who surpasses our understanding and ideas.
   • “Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, and on earth, as in heaven ”forms in us a willingness to accept and share everything that is happening around us in this world.
   • “Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors ”means that you rely on the good will of God and His ability to provide you with everything you need. In addition, you let go of all the debts of people in need in relation to you and are ready to no longer demand compensation. The unforgiveness of debts to the poor is disagreeable in the eyes of God, because you have been forgiven for such a debt for a sin, for which you could never pay off.
   • “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” has different meanings for different people. Not everyone does the same things they regret. However, in the face of whatever temptation you face, ask God for help to overcome everything.
   • “For yours is the kingdom and power and glory forever” - this phrase is not mentioned in earlier manuscripts. At the same time, it provides a worthy conclusion to this prayer and allows you to focus once more on the awe-inspiring nature of God.

Method 2 of 3: The Emotional Benefits of Prayer

1. 1 Share with God that you are experiencing anger or other difficult emotions. In prayer, you can tell God about all your difficulties. Prayer can help you deal with emotions such as pain and despair. If you can vent your anger in prayer, rather than in your daily activities or with your loved ones, this will be your emotional support and a way to calm yourself down in difficult times.
   • If something bad happened, for example, you lost your job, you can ask Christ for help in experiencing all the relevant emotions and find comfort from Him. Express to Him all your frustration and anger, speak out all your fears and concerns.
   • The Psalms are an excellent guide to prayer in times of trial. For example, in Psalm 4, the psalmist pleads with God for comfort in times of trouble.
2. 2 Remind yourself that God loves you. You were created by God in His image and likeness, Christ loved you to death on the cross, and the Holy Spirit accompanies you throughout your life. It is God's will that you choose to repent and seek what pleases Him, honor Him in all your deeds, and come to Him as you are: free to make your own choice to follow His will and accomplish salvation. If you find it difficult to love yourself, remember that Christ came to this earth and died out of great love for you. His grace transcends all understanding.
   • Remember the words in John 15: 11-13: “These things I said to you, that my joy may abide in you and your joy may be full. This is my commandment,
     • May you love one another as I have loved you. There is no more love than if a man lay down his life for his friends. "
3. 3 Try to rethink all your difficulties in a new light. Turning to God in prayer, you get the opportunity to rethink everything that has happened or is happening to you. Perhaps when you see your circumstances from the other side, you will understand more clearly how God can turn bad things into good for man.
   • For example, when you lose your job, you can spend more time with your children.
   • Ponder the Beatitudes. In His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5: 1-12) Christ says: “Blessed are those who weep, for they will be comforted. The blessed are meek, for they will inherit the earth. "
4. 4 Concentrate on not losing your connection with God in difficult life situations. Turn to Christ in the most difficult moments - and He will become your protection from negative emotions associated with what you are going through. For example, if someone close to you is about to undergo surgery, you may need to stop at some point and focus on Christ in order to gain strength and comfort in His presence.
   • Even though Christ is your main support, remember to support others and, in turn, accept support from them. Spend more time with your loved ones, share with them daily worries, joys and worries - everything that you experience together.
5. 5 Think about how Christ would have tried to deal with the situation if He were in your place. It is beneficial to imitate Christ, and His displays of love and compassion can be tremendous support in the face of various situations in life. As you bring your experiences in prayer, ponder what might be an answer from above for you.
   • If you are having difficulty in a job where someone was promoted and held a position to which you planned to be promoted, think about what Christ might have said about the situation. For example, in Luke 6:27, Christ says: “But to you who hear, I say:
     
     "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you."

Method 3 of 3: Varieties of Prayer

1. 1 Pray daily in a fixed place at the same time. Choose a time and place where you can devote time to prayer in seclusion. For example, find a quiet place in the building where you work, where you can look in during work breaks. Or find a place in nature, somewhere under a big tree in the park. Mark this time in your diary.
   • Set an alarm on your phone or a reminder in your email for this time.
   • Go to the appointed place and sit in silence for a while until you are in tune with prayer.
2. 2 Get into a comfortable position to focus calmly. For example, kneel down, fold your arms in front of you, and close your eyes — this is the classic recommended prayer position.
   • Depending on where you are, you can choose a different body position. For example, if you are in a park, just sit on a bench with your legs crossed and your hands folded in your lap.
3. 3 Express your gratitude to God and talk to Him as a caring Father..
   • Do not demand anything, but ask Your Father for help, guidance, peace, and comfort. At the end of your prayer, say, "In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray."
4. 4 Imagine that each finger on your hand symbolizes one of the important areas of your life that you need to pray about. Pray for your family, teachers, officials, those in need, and yourself.
   • The thumb can symbolize your family and all the close relationships that support you in life. It is the strongest finger, which is why it represents a family.
   • The index finger can symbolize leadership in life and, accordingly, those who help you choose and follow a certain direction in life. These can be bosses, pastors, teachers, mentors, friends, and even those who care about your health - doctors.
   • The middle finger is the longest, so it can remind you to pray for those in power in your country and around the world: government officials, world leaders, politicians, and so on.
   • The fourth finger is the weakest, and therefore may be called upon to remind you to pray for those who endure suffering in illness, poverty, or other difficult circumstances.
   • The smallest finger, the little finger, symbolizes yourself. Do not forget to remember yourself in prayer.
5. 5 Experiment in prayer, find the format that works best for you. Use visual objects or play music - it can be anything, as long as you can focus on your prayer. For example, if you perceive the world visually, you can pray while looking at a beautiful painting. You can read a prayer book or keep a spiritual journal. Don't try to limit yourself to the idea of ​​what prayer should be.
   • You may need to gesture with your hands during prayer. You can use a rosary and, sorting out the beads, repeat the same prayer. Or you can draw flowers in a notebook while praying.
   • You can sing your prayers.Prayer songs are one of the most inspiring experiences and a great way to express your feelings.

Sources and resources

1. ↑ https://bible.org/seriespage/18-jesus-prayer-matthew-65-15
2. ↑ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+5%3A17
3. ↑ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206:9-13
4. ↑ http://spq.sagepub.com/content/73/4/417.abstract
5. ↑ https://www.ivpress.com/bible/study.php?study=46
6. ↑ http://spq.sagepub.com/content/73/4/417.abstract
7. ↑ http://spq.sagepub.com/content/73/4/417.abstract
8. ↑ http://spq.sagepub.com/content/73/4/417.abstract
9. ↑ http://spq.sagepub.com/content/73/4/417.abstract
10. ↑ https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/learnpray.aspx
11. ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/06/confused-by-how-to-pray-watch-some-examples/?tid=ptv_rellink
12. ↑ https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/learnpray.aspx
13. ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/06/confused-by-how-to-pray-watch-some-examples/?tid=ptv_rellink