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“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?”

Those are the words of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who helped hide Jews from the Nazis during World War II. Because of her and her family’s actions, she was arrested and spent time in one of the Nazi concentration camps.

Prayer was an important part of Corrie ten Boom’s life, and it should be for every Christian. But, do we really prioritize prayer? Do we really think it’s important?

If you find that prayer has become your spare tire rather than your steering wheel, don’t be too discouraged. There is hope.

Right now at TBC Cayce we are going through a sermon series on prayer called “I Will Pray”. Its purpose is to help people pray.

With that goal in mind, I want to share with you 13 simple ideas you can use to help grow your prayer life right now.

1. Use a prayer chart.

Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of all the things you should be praying about. It’s also hard to pray for everything every single day. Because of this, I use a prayer chart to keep my prayer life organized and on track. This tool is so helpful to me that I’ve decided to share it with you.

Visit the prayer section of our website to download a blank Weekly Prayer Chart you can print out and fill in.

 

2. Read great books on prayer.

Prayer is simple and yet complex at the same time. Learning more about the intricacies of prayer can inspire you to do more and go deeper in your prayer life. Try reading some of the great books on prayer that are available.

To get you started, we’ve put together a book list that you can check out by clicking here.

3. Read what the Bible says about prayer.

While reading books on prayer is a great idea, it’s even better to dwell on passages of scripture that deal with prayer. And there are plenty to choose from! We’ve been talking about a lot of them in the I Will Pray sermon series. Here are some to get you started:

  • Philippians 4:6-7
  • Colossians 4:2
  • Matthew 6:5-13

4. Find a quiet place.

Jesus often went by himself to pray. Doing this allows you to have an intimate time of communication with God. Go outside, or close the door to a room and be still before God.

5. Make prayer goals.

Zig Ziglar once said that if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. This principle applies to prayer perfectly. If you don’t make a commitment to pray, you’ll never develop a strong prayer life.

6. Find a prayer partner.

There are some things you just can’t do alone. If you’re having trouble making progress in your prayer life, consider finding someone who is willing to be your prayer partner. A partner will keep you accountable and encourage you when times are getting tough.

7. Write your prayers out.

Do you find that you’re going through the motions in your prayer times? If you do, then it might be time to change your habits and try something new. Get a notebook or journal and start writing your prayers out on paper.

Doing this forces you to become more intentional about what you are saying, and it also helps eliminate some of the repetition that can become ingrained in our prayer lives.

8. Say your prayers out loud.

Another way to mix things up is to pray out loud rather than in your head or on paper. This is a great technique to try in combination with finding a quiet place that you can pray to God in privacy.

9. Track answered prayers.

The beauty of having a prayer list or journal is you can more easily see when your prayers have been answered. It also helps you be persistent and continue praying for things until you get an answer from God.

Plus, tracking answered prayers helps us thank God more. Often we’ll pray for something and then forget to thank God.

10. Pray with your family on a regular basis.

One of the most powerful things you can do as a family is to set aside time to pray together. It may be a little awkward at first, but it’s worth every amount of effort it takes.

11. Pay attention to repetition.

If we’re not careful, then our prayers can become mindless repetitions. We get stuck in the rut of saying the same things over and over, while we don’t really mean what we say. Over the next few weeks, try to focus on when you are being repetitive, and then try to cut back on it.

12. Share your prayer story.

Sometimes we need to be reminded about the power of prayer. A great way to do this is to reflect on times in your life when prayer had a significant impact. And, instead of keeping those stories to yourself, share them with others so they can be reminded as well.

You can do this here on the TBC Cayce website! Visit the I Will Pray sermon series page and fill out the form to share your prayer story!

I hope that these ideas have given you some practical ways that you can enhance your prayer life. If so, consider sharing this list with your friends and family so that they can grow as well.


Editor: Jackson Dame

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