Set The Foundation
Prayer is an important practice in Christianity, yet for many of us it can feel like a foreign language or something forgotten about. Learning how to reconnect with prayer and start praying again is important for maintaining spiritual nourishment and establishing our faith. For those looking to begin praying again, here are some tips from experts on how to start praying again as part of Christianity.
The first step is to dedicate yourself to committing to praying again. Having a plan or a structure to do so is essential. Set yourself a regular schedule to pray and set reminders on your phone if needed; it may be daily or weekly, but having a dedicated time for prayer is important for the practice. It is also important to create a set space to help facilitate prayerful reflection. The space could be inside or outside, a church or a separate corner of your home – find something that works for you and as you stay consistent it will become an environment that aids your spiritual journey.
Create A Connection
The next step is to take the time to connect with God. Let the support and comfort of prayer flood your heart and mind. Understand that God wants to listen, but also wants to be listened to. Take the time to talk to God and thank Him, express your feelings and frustrations, ask for guidance, praise and celebrate all of the blessings you have been given, and ask for patience, healing, and strength to combat and conquer the struggles you are facing. Prayer can be a conversation, it does not have to be a one way dialogue.
When engaging in prayer take the time to breathe, relax, and know that peace and stillness can be found in prayer. In meditation and prayer, God relates to those that take the time to be gentle and encouraging with themselves. Take all of the time you need to talk, listen and reflect in prayer without expectation or pressure to assess results.
Make It Meaningful
Prayer can be a personal connection and experience with God, but it can also be connected to others and the larger world. Connecting to the Christian church and regular churchgoing can be important for understanding and staying connected to Christianity. Connecting to other prayerful reflection and study of the bible can also be beneficial. Being around the Christian faith’s symbols, rituals and even music can help to drive the sense of comfort and commitment to prayer.
There are many different ways to pray and engage with the practice. It is important to find the right style of prayer for yourself, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution. There is no perfect answer when it comes to prayer and all of our individual journeys are different.
Stay Consistent
It is important to stay consistent to really get the most out of prayer and to let it become a part of your daily life. Pray when asked for and along with when you feel it necessary. Have patience and trust in the process, as prayer has its own way and timeline for how it works in your life.
Be Open To Connect
Prayer is an intimate experience between a believer and God, but it is also a powerful tool to have when connecting to others, in groups or on your own. It is a strength in questioning and reflecting on the world around us and seeing things with a clearer lens. Opening yourself to connect to others or even to a social group can be a great way to stay connected to Christianity and to reconnect with prayer.
Remember You Are Not Alone
If ever the practice of prayer seems difficult or the connection you are having with God feels unbalanced, remember that you are not alone. Share your prayers and worries with friends, family or clergy if you need advice, guidance or understanding when it comes to praying. Reaching out for help and discussing prayer with others can be a great way to stay connected and to keep the practice fresh and informative.
Trust Your Intuition
Finally, it is important to remember that each person’s journey with prayer is unique, and there is no specific roadmap or instruction manual on how to start praying again. Trust your intuition, follow your own style, form and respect your own pace for the practice and know that God hears and receives all prayers no matter how long or short they may be.
Be Open And Welcoming
One of the most important things when it comes to prayer is to keep an open mind and heart. Allow yourself to be flexible and welcoming to new ways of thinking and philosophies when it comes to prayer. Listen, observe and be aware of what other Christians – whether they are clergy, family or friends – have to say about prayer and how it may be different from your own prayer practices. Keeping an open mind allows us to respect different approaches and to broaden our understanding of prayer.
Be willing To Accept Change
When it comes to engaging in prayer, it is important to be willing to accept change in your life. Prayer can be a powerful tool to help us evaluate our lives and think deeper and wider than we have before. Allow yourself the space to think openly and be willing to accept new thoughts and ideas that may help you to shift your perspective. It can be a challenging process but it can also help to open our minds to new ways of thinking and being.
Ask For Guidance
We are all spiritual beings, but that does not mean that we cannot ask for guidance when it comes to prayer. Having support from trusted people that you can reach out to in times of difficulty or to ask for prayers can help you to stay more dedicated and consistent in prayer. It can help to give us the support system that is required to stay strong in times when we feel like giving up.
Let Go Of Expectations
When it comes to prayer, it is important to let go of expectations and more importantly to not be attached to the results. This can be difficult but when letting go of expectations and results, it can be simpler and more comfortable to connect to the practice of prayer. Pray fearlessly and with an open heart and mind, remembering that God listens to all of our prayers no matter how long or short they may be.
Find A Support Group
Finally, it is important to find a support group of people that can understand and relate to your prayer practices and struggles. This could be a spiritual group, a church or a prayer circle, but the main point is to find a group of like-minded individuals to turn to when you need support and advice when it comes to prayer.
