An approach to prayer

[Sunday21]

This article outlines an approach to prayer. What do you think? I hate to say this but I find that a venting prayer can be effective. In a venting prayer, I often am prompted to look at things differently or that the trial will soon be over. What are your views?

https://ldsmag.com/how-to-find-your-way-out-when-there-is-no-solution/

Edited February 4, 2018 by Sunday21

[Traveler]

It is my understanding that prayer is not so much to make G-d aware as it is that we become aware of G-d.  Whatever method we utilize to turn our hearts from what burdens us to what burdens G-d is the success of prayer.  For myself I find that even though my prayers become more desperate and longing with my burdens – that I remain unsettled until I listen and become aware of G-d.  I only wish that I could have an eye single to G-d and get over the constant worry of myself.

 

The Traveler

[Grunt]

I often end a prayer with a plea for guidance or a clearer prompting of His desire, but the bulk of my prayers are almost always expressing thanks for the many blessings He has bestowed upon me.  Even if I enter prayer with the intent of asking for help or "complaining", I very rarely get to the complaining part.  By the time I'm done with being thankful, I probably unconsciously realize I don't have much to complain about.

Edited February 5, 2018 by Grunt

[Sunday21]

3 hours ago, Grunt said:

I often end a prayer with a plea for guidance or a clearer prompting of His desire, but the bulk of my prayers are almost always expressing thanks for the many blessings He has bestowed upon me.  Even if I enter prayer with the intent of asking for help or "complaining", I very rarely get to the complaining part.  By the time I'm done with being thankful, I probably unconsciously realize I don't have much to complain about.

Ok! I need to raise my game!

[Grunt]

Just now, Sunday21 said:

Ok! I need to raise my game!

No, you don't!  Prayer is individual.  I didn't offer my "experiences" as an example of what's right.  I honestly had never given it any thought until you posted this and it immediately caused me to think about the content of my last prayer this afternoon.  That made me realize the bulk of my prayers end like that.  I think I just go overboard ensuring He understands how grateful I am, which in turn causes me to realize how blessed I really am.

[Guest]

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine about prayer (as well as many other religious observances we tend to do) not being sincere.  I found that his words really struck me because I'd been wondering about that about myself. 

We get up at 5 am for seminary.  This is often after I went to bed at midnight or 1 AM working on something for the business.  Although I'm going to bed earlier now that I quit my day job, I'm still very sleepy for our morning prayers. As a result, I'm not really paying attention to the words even when I'm the one saying them.  I can only imagine how much the children are listening to the prayers (much less feeling communion with the Lord).  

Most of the day is so rushed that all the prayers I say during the day tend not to mean as much as they did in past years.

Finally, by the time bedtime comes around, I'm often so tired, I'm not sure I know what I'm doing anymore.

But it is those few times a week that I can actually pause.  To be honest, I don't really pause even that often.  I'm gardening, or working in the woodshop, or cleaning the house, or whatever.  In the process, I find myself just thinking (sometimes out loud).  Sharing ideas.  Saying "what if?"  Talking about how great something might be.  I start thinking about the funny things we do as a family.  I tell anecdotes.  I talk about my calling, my job, my worries, my hopes... It actually takes a minute or two before I realize I'm talking with the Lord.  When I make that realization, it feels good.

Really good.

Why do I say those other prayers if it seems like it doesn't do anything?  Because I'm supposed to.  And I now understand why.  If I didn't regularly pray by thinking about it, would I ever say those more meaningful prayers without thinking about it?

Edited February 6, 2018 by Guest

[anatess2]

All my prayers are about figuring out what God wants.

But yes, like @Carborendum, there are many times that I pray just because I'm supposed to (becomes rote) like when praying over meals.  They tend to sound the same meal after meal.  I would say, "Please bless this food that it will nourish and strengthen my body" and my kids would tell me after prayer - mom, you just cooked mac-and-cheese from the box and Great Value chicken nuggets.  God probably sighed when you asked Him to make it nourishing.  I still say it anyway the next time we eat out of a box even if I know that if I want nourishment I need to do better with my food choices.  At least it reminds me to make better food choices every time I say it.

[Traveler]

Something that has helped me with my prayers.  It came as advice from a seminary teacher in my youth very long ago and was mainly about dating.

The advice was that before doing anything you felt was important (at the time the teacher was talking about dating) take time to have a personal prayer and outline, in specifics, what you plan to do.  The teacher’s recommendation was even so specific that he advised us young men that if we wanted to kiss our date that we should include that in our prayer – even to disclose our plan leading up to the kiss.  As we disclosed our plan we should enquire the opinion of our L-rd and ask for his assistance and help to accomplish our plan.  This may sound ridiculous but it is very effective – your will know in your core what you should and should not be doing.  Then he recommended; that when we have completed our important task that we again, while the whole event was fresh, return in personal prayer and review – report in if you will – what happened, how things turned out, what we learned and how we felt about what happened.

I learned so much from this method of prayers that I still employ this method on a daily basis – in the morning I review what I have planned for the day and every evening I report on what occurred and how my plan for the day turned out.  One very unexpected discovery has occurred on several occasions when things have been humorous that I have felt a friendly closeness as though we laughed together.

This is not the only method of prayer I use but it is the method that I use and it has helped me remove that notion of prayer as a ritual without meaning.

 

The Traveler

Edited February 6, 2018 by Traveler

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, Traveler said:

This is not the only method of prayer I use but it is the method that I use and it has helped me remove that notion of prayer as a ritual without meaning.

That sounds wonderful.  And I'm impressed that you can do that.  I just hope I can be awake enough to implement that process in my own life.

[Traveler]

On ‎2‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 9:43 AM, Carborendum said:

That sounds wonderful.  And I'm impressed that you can do that.  I just hope I can be awake enough to implement that process in my own life.

Your comment is interesting - I have fallen asleep during my prayers on occasions.

 

I would add another thought that I have employed concerning prayer (especially while attending the temple).  I have found that there are times for me to end my prayers and listen (or meditate).  Sometimes (usually) I listen and wait (knowing G-d has heard my prayer) much longer than it took to express my prayers.  On occasions I have even forgotten a prayer (sometimes for years) only to be reminded of my prayer when the answer was finally made manifest.

 

The Traveler

Edited February 7, 2018 by Traveler

[Traveler]

While we are still on the subject of prayers – I have found that on a few rare occasions I have been prompted to sit and compose a prayer.  When I say compose – I mean I sit at my computer and compose it similar to creating a blog or post.  This means I review it several times – making additions and corrections.  I keep a record of these prayers in my personal Book of Remembrance (family history).

 

The Traveler

[anatess2]

26 minutes ago, Traveler said:

While we are still on the subject of prayers – I have found that on a few rare occasions I have been prompted to sit and compose a prayer.  When I say compose – I mean I sit at my computer and compose it similar to creating a blog or post.  This means I review it several times – making additions and corrections.  I keep a record of these prayers in my personal Book of Remembrance (family history).

 

The Traveler

Everytime I'm asked to say the prayer in Sacrament Meeting or at special occasions like a Baptism, etc., I write my prayer and read it at the podium.  It's a habit (crutch?) I learned from my Catholic days where I pray using a Prayer Book.  I've had several of these prayers sitting in my iPad that I could make a Prayer Book out of them.  I've never really thought of composing a prayer without the special occasions.  Thanks for this post.  I'm gonna try to do that now that @zil got me to buy 12 different colors of fountain pen ink and I need to find reasons to use them. 

 

[Guest]

57 minutes ago, Traveler said:

Your comment is interesting - I have fallen asleep during my prayers on occasions.

Well, it doesn't help that I've got ADD.  And my ability to concentrate decreases exponentially as my daily sleep schedule sinks down below 7 hours.

[Traveler]

53 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

Well, it doesn't help that I've got ADD.  And my ability to concentrate decreases exponentially as my daily sleep schedule sinks down below 7 hours.

 

I would never of thought of you in this manner – you express yourself so well on the forum????

 

The Traveler

[Guest]

22 hours ago, Traveler said:

 

I would never of thought of you in this manner – you express yourself so well on the forum????

 

The Traveler

Typing on the forums is easy.  Making sense is quite another thing.  If I ever get a good night's sleep before I enter into a debate, that's when opponents need to be on their toes.  In the meantime, I just babble a lot.

But I'll just thank you for the compliment and go back to bed.

Edited February 8, 2018 by Guest