Is prayer this easy?

[rymichael]

How do I know that what I am praying is going to God, and why do I have to pray? Doesn’t God know what is on my heart? How do I pray, and how do I call on saints to intercede and help me?

Do I pray like this?
Lord, please protect my grandparents tonight, make sure they sleep well and ease their hearts from any anxiety they might have.

Is praying that simple? I have come to question my prayer life and I think I might be over complicating it.

Do I call on saints like this?
Saint Michael please intercede and protect me from any evil that might want to do harm to me.

I am afraid I am too critical of my prayer life and I think that it is just too simple, some one please help me. Post how you pray. I have never been taught.

 

[TheresaThoma]

Most of the time my prayer is like a conversation with God. I tell Him how my day went, things that are troubling me, things I appreciated etc. Just like a talk with a really close friend.
That first example you gave is beautiful. If that is how you feel like you should pray then go for it.
To me asking for the Saints intercession is the same as asking a a friend here on earth to pray for you.
One important thing to remember about prayer is God respects our free will. He will wait for us to turn to Him instead of just taking care of things. An analogy of this is a parent knows that their child is having a difficult time with something yet they wait for the child to come to them before giving advice/help. They want the child to choose to seek help. One of my favorite sayings is God is never rude, He won’t interrupt you. Praying lets God know that you want His help. That is why we pray.
Also if you ever feel stuck there are prayers like the Liturgy of the Hours and the Rosary that have been used throughout the ages. I find they sometimes help me refocus my prayer life,
Good Luck!

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Do I pray like this?
Lord, please protect my grandparents tonight, make sure they sleep well and ease their hearts from any anxiety they might have.

Is praying that simple? I have come to question my prayer life and I think I might be over complicating it.

Do I call on saints like this?
Saint Michael please intercede and protect me from any evil that might want to do harm to me.

I am afraid I am too critical of my prayer life and I think that it is just too simple, some one please help me. Post how you pray. I have never been taught.

You’re doing great!

One can pray in any words one wants. I often say, during the day, “Jesus, I love you.” Or, “Mary, I love you.” I tell them whatever’s on my mind in whatever words I want.

Sometimes I pray the Hail Mary, randomly during the day, at any time. I pray a mixture of prayers that have been written by others and recommended by saints, and those that are in my own language. All is acceptable to God. Your prayers are great .

rymichael:

How do I know that what I am praying is going to God,

He can hear all your thoughts and words, and He knows your heart. So He obviously hears everything you say to Him, and responds in whatever way He thinks best.

rymichael:

and why do I have to pray? Doesn’t God know what is on my heart?

Yes He does. However, He wants you to get to know Him, too, and to become more like Him by becoming holy, good and loving, more and more in life. You can get to know Him better by talking to Him, listening for His voice (this can be heard in many ways), and trying to do His will. Just as conversation is a necessary way of growing close to a friend, prayer is a necessary way of growing close to God.

rymichael:

How do I pray, and how do I call on saints to intercede and help me?

Your own prayers are great. Just keep doing that, and any other prayers you come up with are fine as well. Just don’t be rude or crude to them; that’s all . Be respectful, aware of who you’re talking to, and go ahead. Don’t be afraid, as Jesus told the disciples when He appeared to them after His Resurrection.

You can hear God’s voice seeking to direct your life through the scriptures, which you’ll hear at Mass and should read on your own as well. You can also hear Him by reading the writings of the saints or the Church Fathers, for He speaks through these holy words. He also speaks through regular day to day events in your life, like if a sister criticizes some of your behavior, maybe God wants you to learn and improve. You can listen for what is right and good in everything you hear during the day, and try to learn from it. That is a way to listen to God.

 

[valentino]

How do I know that what I am praying is going to God, and why do I have to pray? Doesn’t God know what is on my heart? How do I pray, and how do I call on saints to intercede and help me?

Do I pray like this?
Lord, please protect my grandparents tonight, make sure they sleep well and ease their hearts from any anxiety they might have.

Is praying that simple? I have come to question my prayer life and I think I might be over complicating it.

Do I call on saints like this?
Saint Michael please intercede and protect me from any evil that might want to do harm to me.

I am afraid I am too critical of my prayer life and I think that it is just too simple, some one please help me. Post how you pray. I have never been taught.

most people I would say have a little trouble with prayer because they aren’t taught to pray.We don’t focus our attention on God but the world around us.The world captivizes us and we lose the reality of God.The more we become part of this world the harder it is to see God as having an active part.God becomes an idea or a possibility rather than a fact.As very little children the idea of God is very sensical.Little children have no problem in believing because it very logical and most likely.Exactly.God knows what’s on our hearts andthat’s why we need to pray to Him.If you aren’t praying to Him he can see that He’s not on your heart.Everything else is.We need to pray to God and ask Him to us that He is real.I believe that praying to Mary to intercede for us is the best way to pray to God.But you can pray directly to God if you prefer and He does listen.You can pray to saints to intercede also if you like.they likewise hear Im sure.Yes, that is a very good way to pray for others.Praying is as simple as talking to your best friend.Talk to God(Jesus,HS,the FAther)as if you know he’s listening and speak what’s ever on your heart.You can tell Him you love Him and that your glad that He always here for you.We should talk to God as often as possible because he loves you more than anyone else in this world.Yes,that prayer to St.Michael is very good.I pray that to Him quite often and I feel secure in knowing he will do that.Often times we feel that we aren’t connecting.We expect some visible sign that He’s listening.God doesn’t always answer us in the way we wish He would.Oftentimes we ask for things which He knows is not best for us.Im glad He didn’t answer all the prayers that I use to want answered.God wants whats best for us and we must pray to do His will.Actually that’s what’s best for us but most of us pray for favors.Don’t stop praying till you feel the connection.

 

[puzzleannie]

How do I know that what I am praying is going to God, and why do I have to pray? Doesn’t God know what is on my heart? .

does your wife or mother know that you love her? do you tell her anyway? does she know when you need to ask forgiveness? do you ask anyway?

yes it is this easy, if you can have a conversation with a loved one you can have a conversation with God.

 

[GloriousOrder]

It’s best to start a prayer in the Name of the Father/Son/Holy Spirit. When you want to stop talking to God, make the Sign again. In this way, you can say to yourself (and to God): “everything I say in my head between the two Signs of the Cross is directed to God”. This can help you to delineate between your thoughts and your words to God. Just try with all your might to talk to the Creator… don’t worry, He can hear you!

He hears the sound supernovae would make if they could generate sound in the depths of space, so He can hear one person’s inner thoughts!

 

[mariafransisca2]

I have made articles on prayer guidance

prayerguidance.blogspot.com/

They will, as they sound, gives you prayer guidance

According to St. Teresa of Jesus, prayer “is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends”. Prayer: that one word says what Carmelite nuns are about throughout their lives. The intimate sharing St. Teresa speaks of can easily be understood when we think of someone we are close to, someone with whom no conversation is necessary in order for us to be happy and comfortable with them. That’s what prayer is: a ‘being with’ the one Friend who will be there no matter what. However there is one extraordinary difference. When we cultivate friendship with Jesus Christ, there opens up within a whole new dimension of life, one of infinite depth and meaning. We truly find Him within us where He patiently waits to be discovered. The intimacy we have with Jesus is closer than any other intimacy ever could be. He is always the place where we receive life. In prayer we find the meaning of our life, and it is a meaning continually discovered.

How to talk to your brothers and sisters saints is like talking to a friend. Say, for example, St. Michael, my brother, please pray for me. Obtain for me the grace of humility. St. Mary magdalene, my sister, please pray for me, obtain for me the grace of mortifications, and ask pardon for God for all of my sins.

saintsarefamily.blogspot.com/

Try to pray the Chaplet of the Saints, Chaplet of St.Anthony, Chaplet of St. Joseph, The Rosary, to build personal relationship with the saints. The Chaplets are included in the prayerguidance.blogspot.com/ site

Here is the litany of the saints
ewtn.com/devotionals/Litanies/saints.htm
youtube.com/watch?v=ZWt5y301BSY

You can talk to the saints just like to a close friend. They are your friends. You can even share your problems with them, and ask them to help you, to pray for you.

Read the lives of the saints, so that you know which saints resembles your situation most and ask their help

May the merciful Jesus bless you

 

[mariafransisca2]

To answer your question, yes, it is that easy Just like talking to a very close friend.

Jesus and Mary is our friend.