Praying the “Lord’s Prayer”
One thing I do whenever I'm not sure what to say in prayer is to simply recite the Lord's Prayer.
Sometimes, I find it hard to pray. That's normal, right? Many people struggle to pray. In fact, I don't know a single person who has never struggled with prayer at some point in their life. But my struggle with prayer these days isn't about the frequency of it in my life. In fact, I pray to God every single day. What I sometimes struggle with at times is this: finding the "right" words to say during my times of prayer.
On the one hand, I shouldn't worry too much about this. God totally understands and He listens to my prayer even if I don't use the "best" or “right” words. God cares more about my heart (see 1 Sam. 16:7). But on the other hand, I sometimes just don't know what exactly to say to this awesome and powerful God, even if I know I can use simple language. And so, sometimes I just stay quiet. Here's what I've learned: it’s actually OK to remain quiet. Silence can be better than a mouthful of meaningless words. I could use more silence in my life anyway.
Thankfully, when we pray, we don't have to say much. Jesus, Himself, mentioned in His famous Sermon on the Mount that it is not necessary for one to pray in a lengthy manner. He said, "When you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words" (Matt. 6:7 ESV). This gives us confidence that our prayers can be short and sweet. We don't have to babble on and on. God will still listen to our brief but meaningful prayers.
One thing I do whenever I'm not sure what to say in prayer is to simply recite the Lord's Prayer (found in Matt. 6:9-13). It's a very simple prayer that Jesus taught to His own disciples that's easy to memorize. Whenever I'm at a loss for words, I'll just pray this. It contains multiple elements that are helpful for me to focus my attention on such as worshiping the Father, requesting Him to supply my needs, and asking Him to forgive me. It's a good prayer to recite from memory if you ever find yourself short on words.
As a tip, if you intend on reciting the Lord's Prayer, make sure your heart is in it. It can be so easy to just mouth the words of the prayer and not make it meaningful because your heart wasn't in it. When I was growing up, I remember simply reciting the Lord's Prayer many times without much thought to it. It didn't mean much to me and I simply saw it as a requirement to be fulfilled. I wish someone had taught me to put my heart into it. That would have made such a difference in how I prayed this prayer.
If you're having a hard time praying, try simply reciting the Lord's Prayer to get you started. It's a simple prayer that will help you refocus your attention back to God. But remember, make sure that your heart is in it and try to recite the prayer slowly and with intention. You want the prayer to be meaningful as you talk to the true and living God.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.
