You're Doing It Wrong!

I am a person who likes order and clear direction. I want a plan to follow step-by-step. I want to make sure that I'm doing things right. I'm learning this quality has been a detriment to my prayer life over the years. I've gotten so wrapped up in following the model of the Lord's Prayer and making sure that I was following the ACTS formula that I never felt like I was doing it right! Since I wasn't confident in the "formula", I didn't think my prayers had any power.

As I continue reading Philip Yancey's book on prayer, I found some encouragement for my situation in the chapter called "Tongue-Tied." If you've ever felt as though your prayers were inadequate, I hope these words also encourage you.

Apart from the requirement that we be authentic before God, there is no prescribed way to pray. Each of us presents a unique mix of personality, outlook, training, gifts, and weaknesses, as well as a unique history with church and with God. As Roberta Bondi says, "If you are praying, you are already 'doing it right.'"

. . . . .

Jesus taught a model prayer, the Lord's Prayer, but otherwise gave few rules. His teaching reduces down to three general principles: Keep it honest, keep it simple, and keep it up. Mainly, Jesus pressed home that we come as beloved children to a Father who loves us in advance and cares deeply about our lives. Ask young parents what is the correct way for their toddlers to approach them and you will probably get a puzzled look. Correct way? Being a parent means you do your best to remain available to your children and responsive to their needs. As Jesus said, if a human parent responds with compassion and not hostility, how much more will God.

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence," urged the author of Hebrews, "so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Yancey, Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference, 190-191)