For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy (St. Therese of Lisieux).
Sometimes we forget this beautiful sentiment. We are all in a different place in our relationship with God. At times we may approach prayer as another thing on our ‘to-do’ list. We may struggle with what prayer is or question if we are doing it right. We may struggle to keep a consistent prayer life or focusing our mind in prayer.
Prayer is a Gift
When we approach prayer with humility, we open ourselves up to God’s gift of prayer and allow Him to unite in our hearts. When we decide to pray, we acknowledge Him as God and love Him in all our circumstances.
He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer, Only when we humbly acknowledge that “we do not know how to pray as we ought,” are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. “Man is a beggar before God” (CCC – 2559).
God thirsts for us to seek Him for living water and not to rely on ourselves. When we pray, we are quenching each other’s thirst for one another and our response to God’s thirst for us.
You would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water (John 4:10).
Prayer as Covenant
Christian prayer is a covenant relationship between God and man in Christ. It is the action of God and of man, springing forth from both the Holy Spirit and ourselves, wholly directed to the Father, in union with the human will of the Son of God made man ( CCC 2564).
We should pray with all our heart, mind, and soul – but most of all – our hearts. According to Scripture, we should pray with our hearts as all our words, thoughts and deeds come from the heart. If our hearts are far from God then our prayer is in vain.
The heart is where God dwells and the Spirit of God is the only one who can understand our hearts and know it completely. The heart is a place of truth and where our decisions, thoughts and actions come from. The heart is the place where we decide to stay on the narrow path or fall off it. The heart is the place of our encounter with God and where this covenant lives.
Prayer as Communion
In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit (CCC 2565).
How beautiful to know that prayer is the way to deepen your relationship with God. Prayer helps you hear His voice, know His will, and live in His Spirit all day.
Hopefully, this will inspire you to look at prayer differently and make the commitment to love God each day. I pray that you humble yourself in prayer, thirst for communion, and love of God in your heart. The more you go to Him the more He draws you near.
If you need help with prayer, maybe I can help. I designed a video prayer program to walk with you each day. Go Deep – 40 Days of Prayer, Love, and Grace
6 thoughts on “What is Prayer?”
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Kendra, please stay in touch. I’m one of those weirdos that don’t even get out of bed before I’ve prayed!
Take care, stay safe.
Not a weirdo at all, just have your priorities straight and praise and thank God before your day! 🙂
“How beautiful to know that prayer is the way to deepen your relationship with God. Prayer helps you hear His voice, know His will, and live in His Spirit all day.”
What a lovely piece and so encouraging at a time when I feel as if my world is upside down.
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for such a wonderful comment. Prayer has changed my life and I intercede for everyone to find the joy and love in prayer. God bless you! I pray you find His peace in your soul to be the light to the darkness in the world. Praise and Glory to God for our faith!