What helps me in prayer? A short answer to that question would be Jesus’ statement in Matthew 6:7-8, which might be paraphrased as ‘God doesn’t hear us because of our many words.’

Praying as you go

This simple truth gives me great freedom to pray whenever I find the opportunity. Praying here and there throughout the day has worked much better for me over the years of my life than waiting for a time when I can spend a long period in prayer.

As a young mum with small children, when we lived in Nairobi, I learned to pray as I did things around the house. Praying for those who would be joining us for meals as I cooked, or for the children as I cleaned their rooms, or praying with the children as we drove to school. This habit has stuck with me and has led to prayer becoming part of everyday life. 

Praying with someone

I have also found over the years that praying with a friend for our children and husbands and neighbours together has been a cherished life habit that has helped me keep growing in prayer.

These days when Mike is no longer travelling as much as he used to, and we have space for more time together, we have found prayer walks have been a way to pray as we get some needed exercise. 

Praying expectantly

As a young Christian I memorised Psalm 5:3: ‘In the morning Lord, you hear my voice, in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.’ I was taught how to have a daily quiet time each morning and that also is a habit I have tried to cultivate over the years, though at times this has been easier than others. It’s been a joy to see my children, now adults with children of their own, pick up this habit from me.

My father taught me to pray, whenever I open my Bible, Psalm 119:18: ‘Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things in your law.’ And it has been exciting over the years to see God continually showing me new things to learn and fresh things to pray as I’ve read my Bible morning by morning. Praying over the scriptures like this, helps me to align my prayers with what is on God’s heart. ‘Father, may your name be honoured, your Kingdom come, your will be done…

Praying promises

When I worked as a nurse in London, the hospital emergency number for cardiac arrests was 333. A friend showed me Jeremiah 33:3 which became my own ‘emergency number’. ‘Call unto me and I will show you great and mighty things…’ reminding me to call out to God in times of need. Over the years I’ve memorized other promises of scripture that have helped me in the same way.

I know that everyone is different and it’s important not to get stuck trying to copy other people’s prayer lives, or carrying some kind of legalistic burden of ‘ought to’. Instead, I want to encourage others to simply learn to share their thoughts and feelings, their hopes and longings with their Heavenly Father, who loves them so deeply. He knows what we need before we ask him, and we don’t need to impress him with the length of our prayers and inform him of things he doesn’t know. 

Some prayers you could use this week:

‘When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.’ Matthew 6:7

Verse reflection: Lord, thank you that you are my Father who knows what I need before I ask and that I don’t need to impress you with my prayers. 

· Lord, help me to be aware of your presence and quick to ask for your help through the demands of today. 

· Lord, bring to my mind those you want me to lift up to you in the little spaces of today. Make me alert to pray, however briefly, for those I meet. 

· Lord, thank you for those around me. Alert me to someone I can pray with this week. 

· Lord, open my eyes to see wonderful things in your word today. 

· Lord, thank you for the promises of scripture that I can turn to prayer for others and myself. 

· Lord, help me to trust you, knowing that as I call on you, you will answer me as is best.