Recently I realized I have developed a misconstrued perspective on prayer – what it is, why we do it, who we’re praying to. It can affect all aspects of my spiritual life.
Prayer can be one of the most intimate times of us communicating with a loving Creator, or it can turn into something routine, or all out stressful – what if I don’t pray for the right thing? What if I pray for what I want, and God gives it to me – the bad as well as the good – just because I asked for it? What if I forget to pray for something?
I’ve recently found and been shown some scriptures to help me get the right focus on prayer. Here are 10 verses for your prayer life – I’m trying to hold on to these whenever I have questions or concerns.
***
“The Lord has heard my cry for mercy, the Lord accepts my prayer.” – Psalm 6:9, NIV
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” – Luke 5:16, NIV – even Jesus, the son of God, made it a priority to get time with God!
“What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” – Deuteronomy 4:7, NIV
“The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” – Psalm 145:17-18, NIV
“Elijah was a human being even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain for three and a half years.” – James 5:17, NIV
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16, NIV
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7, NIV
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ” – Romans 8:26, NIV
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7, NIV
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” – Romans 12:12, NIV
***
What scriptures on prayer encourage or help you?
Find more posts on spiritual inspiration here!
Scriptures are quoted from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
[…] we have nothing to give or do or offer, we actually always have the most powerful thing – prayer. (Thank you to a reader for calling out some wrong wording previously here.) Sometimes it […]