How do I get started praying?
It’s a common enough question for pastors, teachers, prayer group leaders, and just about anyone who is known to pray. How do you get started?
When the gospel of Luke presents the Lord’s prayer, it’s in answer to a question from the disciples. They saw Jesus praying and they wanted to know how to go about it. Jesus said, “Like this,” and demonstrated.
Energion Publications presents a number of books about prayer. Here are a few:
In Pathways to Prayer, you will learn the basics of Christian teaching about prayer. This book is part of our Topical Line Drives series, which are less than 44 pages each in length and designed for quick, easy reading as an introduction.
For a more nuts and bolts approach, try I Want to Pray!, which spends less time on the theology, as important as that is, and more on the nuts and bolts of a personal prayer life.
Learning to pray is more a process of unlearning things you may think are important. Saying precisely the right things isn’t necessary. Being in precisely the right spot might help you, but there are no rigid rules about it. Clear the barriers that keep you from trying, and then say to God precisely what you’re thinking.
God answers prayer much better than we pray!
After you’ve looked at the basics, consider these pages:
- When You Pray and Nothing Happens
- Prayer Stories
- Praying from Scripture