A Biblical recipe for prayer.

Prayer can seem so complicated. There are times in life when we wish we would receive even the slightest sign that our prayers are heard. We wish we had more faith or more perseverance. Even if we do pray, we feel disconnected and our prayers seem to run in circles. Is there a secret to prayer? In my own life, it was answered prayer that inspired me to live a life of prayer. Psalm 116:2 says, Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. I have found that God bends down to listen when we cry to him with sincere desperation. He wants us to depend solely on Him. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them (Psalm 145:18-19). When we consult the Word of God often, we receive light on what we should be praying about during specific seasons of our lives. The Bible is our only source of Truth. Do you ever find yourself wondering if your prayers will be answered? And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us (1 John 5:14). God will always honor the prayers that align with His will as portrayed in the Scripture. Powerful prayer is rooted in remembering God’s faithfulness in the past, coming before Him with a sincere heart, and praying according to His will. Lately, I’ve been so amazed at the importance of simplicity in our prayers. When we come towards God, we should get straight to the things that weigh on our hearts instead of praying out of duty or routine. My requests are becoming clearer and there is a real sense of meaning to them. Once we established our petitions, we shouldn’t stop praying for them until we receive God’s answer. Prayer is the only cure for lifelessness in our Christian walk. May we always pray like we mean it!