According to what Jesus taught, a Christian’s prayer practice is very different from that of non-Christians or even members of other religions. Through prayer, people have discovered numerous ways to interact with their gods throughout history. The Pharisees’ practices from the time of Jesus are the ones that are most prevalent now. These lengthy, self-aggrandizing prayers were more for show than for genuine communion with God.
Jesus, however, had a very different viewpoint on prayer. He gave his followers advice on how to pray well, starting with advice on how not to pray. He advised them not to pray like the Pharisees do because it was only done for the show (Matt. 6:5-8). He forbade praying empty mantras, as did the pagans, to please their gods (Matt 6:7).
Jesus’ advice is ground-breaking: instead of focusing on getting other people’s attention or favor or saying empty platitudes, we should direct our prayers toward pleading with God for forgiveness and daily food. Then why? God knows what we need before we ever ask him, so (Matt 6:8). We can approach him in prayer with confidence since he has absolved us by the death of Christ (Rom 8:1).
Effective communication with God is crucial for any Christian, it goes without saying. It’s crucial that we comprehend the basis on which our prayers should be built as we navigate this planet and deal with life’s difficulties every day. Jesus made it plain that he expected us to pray “when you pray,” not “if you pray.” Humility before God and real communication about both needs and wants are crucial components of effective prayer.
Yet, if we remember to humble ourselves before Him and remember that he has already forgiven us of all offenses by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, this does not have to be the case when we enter into connection with God through prayer. Then, in the knowledge that He is paying attention and will meet our needs as soon as possible in accordance with His perfect purpose, may we truly pour out our hearts without fear or shame (Matt 7:7-8).
Also, when talking to God, we should avoid employing meaningless words. Christians should set aside some time each day to prayerfully examine all they would like to ask or tell Him regarding their current situation or state of mind, rather than repeatedly repeating mantras until something is accomplished (Phil 4:6-7). When the time is right, we can give Him praise where it is due—to God alone—by showing thanks for His previous favors, something that is all too frequently overlooked in the midst of daily life’s rush and bustle.
The first step to effectively talking with God is to realize what a tremendous honor it is to have this chance, which is only possible because of grace, which was freely offered by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross in order to grant eternal life to all who believe! Consequently, let us attempt to have meaningful dialogues that are better suited to strengthening our confidence in the one true living Lord rather than following the example of the futile prayers set by those who came before us.
