Prayer Changes Things When You Change the Way You Pray

By: Amy Marcle

We have all seen the phrase “Prayer Changes Things.”  Whether you have painted it on sign yourself, seen it on a Facebook post, heard it in a sermon at church, or seen it on a bumper sticker, we understand the sentiment behind the phrase.  While I totally agree with the idea that prayer definitely plays a role in the outcome of certain situations, let me take it a step further.  Prayer changes things when you change the way you pray.

As I write this blog, I think about my own prayer life and how one sermon changed the way I pray.  Steve Lerro was speaking to our congregation one Sunday as he outlined the way each of us should pray.  I feel that as adults we often treat prayer like a child does a letter to Santa.  We make out a list of things we want and often neglect to be mindful of the blessings we already have.  In Steve’s lesson, he spoke on three elements we should include in our prayers and the order in which we should state them.

1.  ADDRESS GOD AS THE POWERFUL, WORTHY, HOLY SPIRIT HE IS.

When we talk to God, we are not talking to our neighbor, co-worker, spouse, or acquaintance we are talking to the Utmost High, the Creator of all living things, the Father of us all.  He should be addressed in matter that shows reverence and respect.  I have been in situations where I hear people begin their prayer with “Dear Dad” or “Hello Old Friend” and honestly, this bothers me.  To me, it brings God down to a human level.  In order for us to seek His guidance, His forgiveness, and His blessings, we must first recognize Him for the all-knowing, omnipresent, all-powerful being is.

•  THANK HIM FOR THE BLESSINGS WE HAVE

Much like a child making out their Christmas wish list, sometimes we begin a prayer with what we want rather than being thankful for what we have.  I feel we often neglect so many blessings we take for granted such as simply our health, our homes, our jobs, the people in our lives.  We must remember that nothing that was created was created without God and we should be thankful for each and every blessing we have.  Before beginning our “wish list” we should take the time to be thankful for what God has already blessed us with daily, remembering especially to thank Him for sending His only Son to die on the cross for our sins.  (John 3:16)

•  SUPPLICATIONS

Finally, we know that as humans our first thought is to ask for God to do things for us.  Whether it is to take pain away, heal our loved ones, bless us with material blessings, or whatever it is we may desire, we often only turn to God when we want something.  While it is perfectly fine to submit our requests in prayer, we should refrain from only talking to God when we want something.  We learn in the Bible that even Jesus submitted a heartfelt request prior to the crucifixion.  In Luke 22:42, we read that Jesus prayed “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.

“Not my will but thine be done.”  This verse has replayed over and over again in my head as I pray.  It is very hard for us to pray in that matter where we tell God “your will not mine.”  But it is at that point, we should have the faith to trust His will.  God sees the entire picture, while we only see small parts at a time.

Suffering from anxiety, I pray often and randomly.  This is not a new practice as I have aged, but has been my strategy my entire life.  If a storm warning interrupts the television show I am watching, better pray for safety.  If a loved one requires medical testing, better get to praying.  Whatever the situation, I tried to pray myself out of it.  “Please God let the storm go away.”  “Please God let the tests be normal.” But, as I studied more and my faith in God grew more, I realized that while I had often prayed my way out of life’s storms, I had rarely prayed for Him to carry me through the storms.  When I made that change, prayer changed things.

My prayers are rarely well thought out.  I often get ADHD during my prayers and my mind will wonder off to other thoughts in other places.   I try to pray after laying down at night for bed, but many nights I fall asleep halfway through.  Sometimes, I pray and ramble so much, I wonder if God can even understand.  And then I remember that in Matthew 6:8 we learn that “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”  Not that we should not pray, but I feel He understands our hearts even when we get distracted.

There is no doubt in my mind that God answers prayers.  Ever since being in a car accident during a rainstorm when I was 5 years old, I have been somewhat nervous about driving in heavy rain.  There are many nights where I actually dream I am driving in a storm and the road turns into a lake and I drive off and fight to push my way out of the water.  I wake up, gasping for breath.  So, it is only natural, that now when I drive in a storm, I pray.  I use to pray for the rain to stop.  But, now I pray for God to carry me though.  That change in prayer alone has greatly reduced my anxiety.

While it is safe to say that nobody wants to go through trials, I feel that rather asking God to prevent trials in our lives, we should ask Him to see us through them.  We should ask for our faith to be increased, our strength to be doubled, and our hearts to be thankful.  It is very possible that God puts in situations to teach us lessons.  I have adapted a “Father, if the storm is not meant to pass by me, please carry me through it.”    Life is not easy.  We are not promised a life without trials.  But, we are promised He will never leave us nor forsake us.

I vividly recall a few years ago, there was a major storm system heading to our hometown.  The forecast called for multiple tornadoes and damaging winds.  A local church opened up its basement to allow residents a place to shelter should the storms impact the area.  My husband, daughter, and I made our way to the church building to shelter in place, preparing for the worst.  Many people, who also sought the church building for safety, were praying that night.  After being there for less than an hour, a friend of ours, Warren, pulled up the radar and said “if that don’t tell you the people in Milan are living right, I don’t know what does.”  The radar showed a massive storm cell had split just before hitting the town of Milan, TN.  Massive storms passed to the north, and massive storms passed to the south, leaving a small dot on the radar exactly where we had gathered, clear from the storm.  The power of prayer made several people believe that night. 

I want to leave you with a prayer that I often pray.  This prayer gives me peace on my most anxious days.  I hope you can find ways to pray that afford you the same peace.

Dear God,

Thank you for this day and all of it’s many blessings.  Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins.  More personally, for MY sins.  Thank you for blessing me with health, a job, a home, food, and the family who loves me.  Thank you for keeping us safe this day and getting us all home safely.    I pray, Dear God, that you will protect my family and keep them healthy. I pray that you will keep them safe.  I pray for their spiritual, mental, and physical well being and that they will be whole in all of those areas, most especially their spiritual well being.  I pray for Haley and that she will have a safe day at school.  I pray that she will have the confidence to use the skills she is learning to make this world a better place for the patients she will take care of when she becomes a nurse.  I pray that she will seek you in all her decisions and that her and Steven will keep you in the center of their relationship.  I pray for peace for Jason and the grief he bears.  I pray that he will find a way to enjoy life and find happiness again after facing so much tragedy.  I pray for their health as well.  I pray for the health of my parents, my relatives, and my friends.  I know I sin daily, Dear God, and I pray you will forgive me, and I also pray I can find a way to forgive myself.  I pray Dear God, that if my prayers are not in line with your will, that your will be done.  And I pray that if the storms cannot be removed from my life, you will see me through them.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Not all my prayers are that thought out, sometimes I simply look the sky and say “Thank you.”  And HE knows, He knows exactly what I mean.