Do you sometimes feel guilty asking God for things?

Me too.

I listened to a podcast recently where they helped explain ways to pray. 

The First step is Adoration. Begin your prayer time by telling Jesus how much you adore Him. 

When I can’t speak what is on my heart, I like to listen to my favorite worship songs which can help me find the right words. 

Adoration can also incorporate meditation or journaling. Let this be a time of being in God’s presence, which can mean just sitting still and being quiet listening for God’s voice.

The second step is Confession. Don’t let this part scare you. Confessing our sins to God, sets us free. It deepens our relationship with God by helping us get more comfortable speaking what is really on our hearts and minds. 

He already knows what took place, so us speaking it aloud is for our sake. It leads us on the path of freedom and redemption. 

It’s important to remember that there is no condemnation in Christ. As believers when we repent our sins we are forgiven and accepted. Jesus wants us to then go and offer others that same forgiveness and understanding.

The third step is Thanksgiving. This is where we thank God for everything that he is doing or has done in our lives. This can be done by speaking thanks, or you could keep a gratitude journal. 

I like to keep a list of Blessings and things I am grateful for. This practice helps me see the smaller things in life. When we begin to notice small blessings like a cardinal coming to visit or a warm cup of coffee on a chilly morning; it helps ground us and helps to change our mindset to a more positive one.

When one of my girls is having a hard day, I like to remind them that even though the present moment may be hard, there is always something to be thankful for. 

The last step is Supplication. This is the step where we bring our requests to God. We may ask for God to do something in our own lives or intercede for someone we are praying for. 

I recently heard a speaker suggest that when we do this the best approach is to come right out and ask God specifically for what you need. Imagine Jesus asking you, “What can I do for you?” Or “What do you need me to do right now?” 

I love that. I think often times it’s easy for us to feel like we need to tread lightly and not ask too much. God already knows…He wants us to be honest, raw and real with Him. 

It’s important to remember though, that a big part of this step is learning to trust His timing and His plan. Even though we ask Him for something. He will answer with His timing. This may mean that we may not see the answer to our prayer on this side of Heaven. 

I would love to hear if you have a favorite way to practice prayer?

Please comment below and share your tips.

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