How Am I Supposed to Pray?

Q:  hey Randy,
I have a sort of quick question.... When people pray it always seems like they have prayer requests, I mean we're suppose to give our problems to God, but I was wondering, does God ever get tired of hearing our problems?? I mean not so much tired of them, but I mean should we do prayers where we just thank him? Does he get upset and feel unappreciated? Maybe I'm not using the right words... SHOULD I be doing just plain thank you prayers? I'm sorry to bug, I'm new at this and yeah. Well thank you if you get to this. :)
~Jackie

A:  Great question...and you are totally on to something:)  God absolutely loves to hears us when we pray and request something of Him... Jesus over and over tells us to "ask", so I don't think God tires of that.   On the other hand you are also right in your other thoughts.  Even though He doesn't tire of us asking, He still wants prayer to be much more than that.

Think of it like a conversation with someone you are deeply in love with and they also return that same love.  To ask or be asked wouldn't be a bad thing at all.  Of course what if the whole conversation was one-sided and full of constant requests from that person.  Imagine what that conversation would be like.  You'd miss out on the other great stuff like real discussions, thanking, adoring, crying, listening, and even those moments where neither of you need to say a thing because just being in each others presence is enough.

Prayer is like that.  Here's a quick acronym (spells "ACTS") I learned a long time ago that highlights some main ways to pray (and yes, you can do just one of these and its prayer...or you can walk through them all too):

A (adoration:  telling God what you love about Him)
C (confession:  telling God what you've done wrong and need forgiveness for)
T (thanksgiving: telling God what you are thankful for, like things He's done for you, prayers He's answered, everyday life stuff etc..)
S (supplication:  this is the asking and requesting one)

Now two areas that this lacks both fall into the no-words category.  Sometimes we are in such anguish that when we come before God, we can't even voice the stuff going on inside.  Instead we groan, we cry, we sigh.  God here's these and understands what they mean (check out Romans 8:26-27) 

The second no-words is that when we stop talking to be still in listen to Him.  Unfortunately many people think prayer is a one way street where we do all the talking and God just listens.

Way off. 

God speaks too!  But usually we don't give Him the time.  We say our peace and then we're outta there.  We need to remember that it's also vital for us to be still, wait on Him, listen for Him, surrender to Him.  Honestly I think some of my best prayers have happened when I shut my mouth completely.

Sometimes He speaks.
Sometimes He's silent.
Always He's there.

Psalm 46:10 says, "Be Still and know that I am God."

More questions?  Email them to randyboerema@gmail.com