Creating A More Intimate Prayer Life
Sometimes our prayers can become a bit routine and stuffy. We say the same things, ask for the same blessings, and rattle through the same mental lists that we always do. Our prayers can even feel like we are offering Jesus our “Christmas List” instead of engaging with Him on a deep, intimate level.
There is so much more to our prayer time than asking Jesus for things. Prayer is an occasion for us to intimately connect with the God who loves and died for us. He did all of that because He wanted a close, intimate, and personal relationship with us, including during prayer! But we can miss that intimacy if we become stuck in a “robotic rut” and go through the motions instead.
Here are a few tips to help you break free from the “prayer rut” and experience intimacy with Jesus during prayer:
Do Not Rush.
Designating larger intervals of time to pray removes the rushed feeling we often get when praying. Allotting more time to talk to Jesus enables us to tell Him our needs, share how we feel, ask for wisdom and direction in various areas of our lives, and present other’s needs to Him. It also provides time to hear what He says to our spirit in response.
Change It Up.
When you begin praying, do not follow your normal routine. Changing up how you pray or what you typically say or do helps shock your system into aligning your brain, heart, spirit, and words. Doing this may help you engage with Him on all cylinders and provide the ability for you to venture into uncharted territory in your prayers.
Be Vulnerable.
Spend several minutes talking to Jesus like you would to your absolute best friend. Do not shy away from being vulnerable with Him. Jesus already knows everything there is to know about you, so you cannot shock or surprise Him in any way. Share the deep places of your heart with Him. Allow Him access into those secret places and trust Him to help you deal with what is hidden there.
I want to encourage you to break out of your shell to experience the incredible intimacy you can have with Jesus in prayer. It might feel a bit foreign at first. But stick with it, and, hopefully, you will feel closer and more connected to Him than ever before.
Do you desire an intimate prayer life?