Prayer can become monotonous-- we get stuck in the rut of the same prayers over and over again, and can be in danger of not really meaning what we say. I hit this realization when I was 16, and decided that I need to be meaningful about prayer. I am, after all, speaking to the God of the universe. The One who created me. My Lord and Saviour; my best friend. People speak to their best friends all the time; that's what I want to do. Like we are told to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, I want to "pray without ceasing." I thought I'd compile a list of some great things we should be praying for. (Mind you, this is just a short list-- the real list is endless!)
Pray for peace. This is one of the biggest things for me; I am a natural worrier. I worry about school, family, friends, life in general...basically any and every thing and person in my life. I am constantly worrying about the future, the present, and even the past. It has been a constant struggle in my life to let go of my anxiety and worries, and to live under God's protection and in His peace. God constantly reminds us of peace in the Bible (it's as if he knows that humans struggle with worrying! Shocking, I know) and those verses are very good reminders to me. "For the Kingdom of God is...of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit;" "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace;" "For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace." My favorite verse on this topic is Philippians 4:7, in which we are encouraged because "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Pray for your country. I think it's safe to say that our country needs our prayers. It's full of people, most of whom do not know Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. They have not come to know Him and given their life over to Him. This is incredibly sad, because we know that if we do not turn from our sins, repent, and believe in Him, we will be eternally separated from Him. Every person in our country who does not know the Lord needs our prayer. Even if we don't know all the people in this country (which we don't), we need to be praying for them! And if you feel like praying for the country in its entirety sounds daunting, try praying for your city or state.
Pray for other countries. As sad as it may be that our country has so many unsaved people in it, there are countries with many more people who need Christ in their lives. Our country, thankfully, is one in which we have the freedom to openly worship God and share Him with others; there are many other people in this world, however, who do not have this freedom. They meet underground to talk about Jesus. They are in danger of being put in jail-- or worse-- if they are found out. Our version of persecution in the states is people saying mean things about us or choosing to not hear about God when we ask. Some people literally lose their lives simply because they love God with all their hearts, minds, and souls. That is definitely something to pray about.
Pray for your least favorite person. This is one I have recently adopted, much against my natural inclination. Now, whether or not you have an enemy, per say, it is a great thing to pray for your least favorite person. It may not change them and the things about them you can't stand, but I do promise you that it will change your heart and attitude towards them. When I was in middle school, I was bullied by some kids who I thought were my best friends. Things ended badly and I went through a dark spot in life; my heart was hardened against them and I wanted nothing good to come to them. That's a natural response, because I was hurt, but it's not a godly response. After years with a hardened heart, God broke through a wall and I began to pray for them. My prayers were usually that, if they don't know the Lord as their Saviour, that God would reveal Himself to them. And if they do know Him and have a relationship with Him, that He would bless them in their walk. The latter of the two prayers is a hard one, even now. But little by little, my heart is being softened and I am learning to forgive, let go of my hurt, and follow God's command in this way.
Pray for your spouse (or future spouse). I am not married, but I do believe that God is preparing me for that one day. While I don't know who I am going to marry, I know that he's alive and out in the world somewhere. I know he's going through good and tough times in his life; he has joys and struggles, just like me and just like every other person in the world. I pray that he is following the Lord, as I am. I pray that God will be the center of our future relationship, and that we will grow more in love with Christ as we get to know each other and have a relationship one day. If you're married, I hope you are always praying for your spouse. They need your prayers just as much as any other person, if not more!
Pray for yourself. Sometimes I get stuck in praying for this person or that, because that's part of fellowship and being the body of Christ. It's part of being the Church. And when it comes to myself, I end up saying something like, "Well, if you could do this, that'd be great, but what I really want is for You to help this person over there, because I can see they're struggling so much." Wait a minute. Did I just put a limitation on God? Oh heck no, that's not gonna happen! He's certainly big enough to handle all of it; I'm not a chore or a bore for Him to listen to. And He wants me to come to Him with my problems, my pitfalls; He wants to hear all about my life. If I don't, it's as if I'm saying that I don't believe He can handle the problems I'm facing. This is one I struggle with, because I don't want to burden anyone in my life by telling them the problems in my life. Most people, even my good friends, don't know what I'm truly being challenged by. But God-- I love that phrase, don't you?-- already knows my struggles, and wants me to come to Him with them. When I'm joyful and things are going well, He wants me to tell Him about it. It's all important! There's nothing too big or too small for God to hear about, even in my own life.
This post has started a greater list of many people and things in my life I want to pray for. I'm sitting here simultaneously writing the post and compiling the list in my head! There are so many ways in which I need to come to God for comfort and understanding, and there are also many things for which I need to thank Him.
In what ways are you passionate about prayer? Who/what has God placed on your heart to pray about or for? I'd love to know.
~Laurel
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