I need help with spontaneous prayer

[LOTWevangelizer]

I really struggle with spontaneous prayer and I need advice on how to become better at it. I listen to so many that do a beautiful job and I long to be more like that. I need to be prayer warrior and give a spontaneous prayer for a speaker at a retreat. Any advice?

 

[Montie_Claunch]

Only thing I can think of is Pratice. As dorky as it sounds, it works. If you feel that your skills at this are that laking you can work at it at home. Just stop radomly and pray over whatevers on your mind. “God help me cook my lego waffles.” “God help me find the remote.” and try and add flare to it. “My most heavenly Father, help guide and lead me in the preperation of theses gifts you have given me through you love. And help me not to burn them too badly. Amen.” or what have you. Do that and give it some time.

Hope this helps.

 

[LilyM]

The words really aren’t important … having dabbled in a bit of writing myself I can tell ya there can be a fair amount of ‘borrowing’, or even outright plagiarism, in great writing and speaking, as in all great art and performance.

Jesus gave us the Our Father for a reason. It’s really a perfect prayer - short, sweet, says it all:

• Its first lines are praise and thanksgiving to God which should always come first.
• Then the ‘thy will be done’ so that He guides us in discerning what He wants us to do.
• Then the petitions for body (‘daily bread’) and spirit (‘forgive us’).
• Then asking for help to be Christ to others (‘as we forgive those who trespass against us’).
• Finally a plea for strength to fight sin and evil (‘lead us not …’)
• And of course that great prayer to encompass all prayers ‘AMEN’ (meaning ‘so be it’ - to me it’s really like saying ‘thy will be done’ again, and how all good prayers should end!)

 

[Nana_Rose]

LilyM, I like that!! I have been looking for ideas for my third grade CCD and this next lesson is on prayer. I want the kids to learn to make up their own prayers and this is a perfect way to look at the “Our Father” formula and do their own thing. Thanks for sharing!

I was not originally comfortable offering spontaneous prayer either, though I’m a talker! But I’ve had to learn, and it’s a little bit of struggle, but the early post gave good advice, wish I would’ve had it. Just jump right in and practice. I went to a Bible study at Church once and they open with spontaneous prayer…similar to what LilyM is saying.
Opened with welcoming Christ
Thanksgiving
Forgive Me
Help Me
Help Others
At each interval we would offer up our own thoughts, it was hard, but helped us to open up and speak it, and by the end of the study everyone was participating more. My husband found it very helpful and he is very nervous about things like that. Now I open each catechism class with prayer time and try to help teach the kids to open up and just talk.

 

[Godfrey]

Anything that keeps with the general intentions/structure of the Lords prayer is awesome!

Read David’s Psalms, a lot of those just poured out of his heart and show a very human quality of talking to God in many different types of situations

As said above I will also agree that you shouldn’t feel pressured to spout flowery words or “get it right” and practice does of course make it easier.

Remember: You are a child talking to your father.
It is a conversation, not a show or a monologue.
Simple faith and simple words get the job done just as well

Peace

 

[Jeanette_L]

Godfrey:

Anything that keeps with the general intentions/structure of the Lords prayer is awesome!

Read David’s Psalms, a lot of those just poured out of his heart and show a very human quality of talking to God in many different types of situations

As said above I will also agree that you shouldn’t feel pressured to spout flowery words or “get it right” and practice does of course make it easier.

Remember: You are a child talking to your father.
It is a conversation, not a show or a monologue.
Simple faith and simple words get the job done just as well

Peace

I love this approach. We are to come to God as little children. That’s what he asks from us. We don’t have to show off in prayer. Talk to him from your heart. It’s what pleases him, and really, that’s all that matters!

I find in my own life, I talk to God like he’s standing next to me or sitting next to me all day long, like I would a friend. It’s communication with the One you love!