Years ago, while struggling with prayer, God led me to a way that I could pray more effectively and I would like to share this with you.
Prayer allows you to deepen your relationship with God which can improve your overall spiritual growth. Although God already understands us before we utter a word of prayer, prayer does help us to open our heart to Him and to His word.
Making prayer a priority in your daily life is a necessary step in better navigating your faith and forming a personal connection with God. However, prayer lists often become recited laundry lists of cycling through the names and needs of those around us with little regard for how it fuels our relationship with God.
Creating a prayer list will provide you with a structured way to organize your prayers into a focused and fresh conversation with God.
You can often transform your prayers to dynamic, meaningful devotions simply by changing your approach.
Create Different Categories
To begin creating a beneficial prayer list, choose categories of prayer that you wish to focus on. Think about what you typically pray for and categorize them, so you can simplify praying for specific people. Some possible prayer categories include praises, spiritual leaders, family members, friends, and personal struggles. After you choose your categories, think through the names of people you want to put under each category.
Add a List of Names
Deciding whom to add to your prayer list under distinct categories can be difficult. There are many different people to consider including family, friends, neighbors, church members, coworkers, and more. You can also pray for government leaders, military members, people that you might spiritually mentor, acquaintances, and so forth. Leave some room for urgent prayer requests as well such as those who might experience an unexpected tragedy.
Track Your Prayer Requests
Choose the best place to track your prayer lists and requests. You can use a journal, index cards, a smartphone application, a tablet, and so forth. It’s just important to choose a place where you can easily access your list to prompt you to pray daily. When you receive a prayer request, write them down on your list with the person’s name and date of request and revisit it as needed.
Make Connections
Routine and structure are keys to a successful prayer list. Once you build up your prayer list, consider pairing each category to a day of the week. For example, you might pray for family members on Monday, friends on Tuesday, and church members on Wednesday. Get into the habit of praying at regular intervals and developing a time that works best for you. You can also incorporate prayer into daily tasks, such as praying for coworkers on your daily commute or praying for government leaders while preparing dinner. Make connections that will help you and prompt you to prioritize your prayer list.
We at Spiritual Support Care Ministries value prayer and believe that it can provide healing and hope to those in need. Call us today at 540-349-5814 for more information.