Maintaining a Vibrant Prayer

When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
Matthew 6:5-8


A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I was a football player.  My football coach would say at least once a practice during preseason two-a-days, “If it was easy, everyone would be out here.”  Somehow he thought that was a peep speech.  Whether or not it was it is truth.  If something is easy then more people will do it.  If running a marathon was easy then we would all be marathoners.  If having a consistent, vibrant prayer life was easy we all would.  Should we?  Yes.  Do we?  No.

Like any discipline, developing consistency is important.  Prayer is no different.  Praying consistently is awkward at first.  It seems to be a religious exercise.  Prayer is not a religious exercise.  Prayer is communication with God.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 about prayer including the example of the Lord’s Prayer.  Prayer is a personal, intimate communion with God.  To develop a prayer life where prayer is conversation with God that is personal and intimate takes some time.  

As with all disciplines, prayer will be awkward at first.  Thankfully Jesus gives us a example to follow in Matthew 6:9-13.  There are also numerous aids for developing a consistent prayer life.  Practice a Consistent Prayer Life by Richard E. Dodge of Lifeway is a very helpful article.  Disciple's Prayer Life by T. W. Hunt is a wonderful 13 week small group discipleship study devoted to strengthen and deepen your prayer life.


With any disciplines, once you do it consistently it becomes second nature and is awkward without it.  C. S. Lewis said, “I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time- waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God- it changes me.”  When prayer becomes consistent then we will pray because we can’t help ourselves.  Prayer will simply flow out of us, and we will notice that God is changing us through our prayer life.
  1. Do you currently have a vibrant prayer life?
  2. If not, what prevents you from having a vibrant prayer life?
  3. What actions will you take to have a more disciplined prayer life?

--Zine Smith

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