Prayer, at its most basic, doesn’t need to be taught. It is as simple as speaking to God. But even the twelve disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray.
There are many resources that can help you learn to pray more effectively, such as books and audio or video studies. But often, learning to pray comes by learning from the examples of others.
Year after year, one such moment in my life stands out to me.
Somewhere during my junior and senior years of high school, I formed a habit of praying fast and furious, barely stopping for a breath at times, and certainly not stopping long enough to listen. And I thought of it as a good thing, though now I can’t explain why.
One evening, at a youth group retreat, I was stopped in my tracks when I heard and saw something that I instantly knew was far better.
We were instructed to pair off and then pray aloud for our partner. My partner turned out to be the mother of one of the youth, who was also a leader in our group.
I prayed first, and as had become normal for me, I sped through, rounding the bases in a hurry and sliding into home.
And then it was her turn.
Her slow, easy words slowed me down. She took moments to breathe. Really breathe. I look back, and I imagine that with each pause and slow breath, she was taking in a little of the Holy Spirit. She opened her Bible and prayed Scripture over me. The conversation she was having with the Father felt so relaxed and intimate, like a quiet, early-morning cup of coffee with a close friend.
Sometimes there is cause for a hurried prayer, but I have learned that nurturing a quality prayer life takes quiet, peaceful give-and-take conversations with the Father. If you are thinking and talking too fast, the conversation becomes very one-sided in a hurry.
Slow it down.
Time to breathe.
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