Talking to God

Prayer is simply talking with God. You may already have prayed, even if all you said was, ‘Help me!‘ Prayer can begin there. It doesn’t have to be complicated—just speak to God as you would to a trusted friend or family member. About anything!

Tell him how you feel. Share what’s on your mind. Ask for help—for yourself or for someone else. Say sorry. Thank him for something. Tell him you appreciate him. Be honest about what you’re struggling with, or share something you’re enjoying. That’s prayer.

Don’t try to impress God or manipulate him. Don’t use what you think are the right religious or spiritual words. Just keep it simple, honest and plain. Talk to God as you would to a close friend. At its heart, prayer is about developing a friendship with God.

Listening to God

Of course, talking is only half of a conversation. Hopefully, you listen to the other person too! Conversation is two-way. Just as in any friendship, prayer is listening is as well as speaking.

At times, prayer may feel like you are talking into the air. So stop and just stay quiet at times when praying, and expect to hear God ‘speaking to you’. Not in an audible voice. But pay attention to quiet impressions, fresh thoughts that feel different from your own, something from the Bible coming alive, or remembering a word shared by a Christian friend. These are all ways in which God can speak to you.

The Bible is God’s primary way of speaking, so it’s good to pray with an open Bible. Expect him to use it to guide and encourage you. (Look out for future posts on the Bible and on ‘How To Hear God’).

Make Time

In order to have a proper conversation with someone, you will need to make time and create space to sit down with them. Carve out regular times in your day when you can read the Bible and talk with him. Many find the start of the day best. Others prefer the quiet of the evening. Find what works for you, but make it a priority if you want to grow in your walk with God.

Simple habits help. Beginning and ending the day with prayer is a good rhythm. A regular place — a favourite chair, a kitchen table, or a quiet corner — can also help you form the habit.

And Pray All the Time

Alongside set times of prayer, learn to talk with God throughout your day. Remember, he is always with you. You can turn to him anytime, with a word, a thought, or simply with an awareness of his presence.

The Bible says, “pray continually.” Don’t be discouraged if you forget. Just find small ways to remind yourself of God’s nearness – a short prayer repeated often, or a Bible verse carried in your mind.

Prayer isn’t about performance. It’s about relationship. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, you can talk — and listen — to the God who loves you.

More From the Bible – Jesus on Prayer

“…when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private.” (Matthew 6:6)

Read a little more about what Jesus said on prayer in Matthew 6:5-15 and look out for a future post about using the Lord’s Prayer to help you pray.

For reflection and discussion:

Think about these questions and, if you are going through these notes with someone else, talk about them together.

1. What do you think is the value of setting a particular time on your own to talk to God?
2. What are you doing to help remind yourself to ‘pray continually’ through the day?
3. How do you feel about your first attempts to talk to and listen to God? Be honest about the struggles (and keep reading the resources here that will try to help you).

Remember this:

“A real relationship with God means walking with him daily,…talking with him intimately,…and listening attentively to his voice…” (Pete Greig, How To Pray)

Recommended Resources:

How To Pray – a short, practical, and inspiring introduction to prayer, written to accompany The Prayer Course.

The Prayer Course – a free video series based on the Lord’s Prayer, ideal for groups or individuals wanting a step-by-step guide.

Be Still by Brian Heasley — a helpful book about learning to make space for God and setting aside regular times for prayer.

How To Hear God by Pete Greig — a simple and encouraging guide to one of the most important aspects of prayer: listening to God.

There are also some excellent prayer apps that can help you form a rhythm of prayer:

• Lectio 365 (from 24/7 Prayer) — blends ancient rhythms of prayer with a contemporary style, and is great for daily use.
• Daily Prayer App — rooted in the Book of Common Prayer, offering a more traditional structure for prayer.
• Everyday with Jesus — provides a daily Bible passage with reflection, to help you combine prayer with Scripture.