Article Tools
- Text Size
- Add a comment (3)
- Print this article
- Email this article
Choose a Time and a Place. Make it a specific time dedicated only to prayer—a time when you are alert and clear. (Psalm 92:1-2) Make sure it’s a place where you are free from distraction and interruption. (Matthew 6:6)
Lay Aside All Other Concerns.
Examine your conscience and repent of your sins. (Psalm 130)
Let God’s mercy cleanse your conscience. (Romans 8:32)
Put aside anxieties, problems, and struggles. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Open Your Heart to the Gospel.
Consciously say “Yes” to these truths each day:
• God created me out of love and loves me always. (1 John 4:10)
• God sent Jesus to give us life. (John 3:16)
• By his death and resurrection, Jesus conquered sin and death. (John 5:24)
• Jesus promised to be with us and to send the Holy Spirit. (John 14:15-16,23)
•Jesus intercedes for us in heaven. (Hebrews 7:25)
• Jesus is coming again. ?(Matthew 16:27)
Praise God.
Express your love and gratitude to your heavenly Father, to his Son Jesus, and to the Holy Spirit. (Psalms 95; 136; Hebrews 13:15; 1 Peter 2:9)
Worship God honestly and from your heart. (Matthew 6:7-8)
Dwell in the Presence of God.
Listen actively to God in your heart as you read scripture. (Isaiah 66:2)
Sit quietly in God’s presence and let his love touch your heart. (Psalm 131)
Intercede with Faith and Trust.
Pray for the world, for the church, for your family, your friends, and yourself. (Matthew 7:7-11)
Write in Your Journal.
What has God said to you?
What do you want to carry into the day to keep your mind fixed on Jesus?
What petitions will you keep close to your heart?
What a wonderful way to start the day.
Indeed this is a truly helpful guide for me to how to pray better!
Yes, frannie80 it is a wonderful way to start a day.If you haven’t been starting your day with prayer now is a good time to start. It makes your whole day better.
I sit in front of my computer each morning to pray.I have my list of petitions for others that is quite long that I put in front of the Father in Jesus’ name before I start and so I simply say for all on this list and then add some new ones if I have some but always ask them to be answered according to God’s will not mine as God sees the whole picture and I surely do not.Then I like to do the liturgy of the hours morning prayer which is on the net and then read the daily readings for Mass that day and listen to a short homily on them.(1-3 minutes) I follow this with reading the meditation from Word Among Us and thus get a good start to my day and plenty to ponder throughout my day. I must tell you I am retired so if you are not don’t try to do all of this as it may be too much. Do what God leads you to do as it will be different then what He has led me to do.
I try to invite Jesus to be with me as I start doing anything. I don’t want to do anything alone but with Him and thus everything I do during the day becomes a form of prayer and I do things better with Him then when I try going it alone. Even simple tasks like mopping the floor I ask Jesus to be with me and help me do it the best I can to please Him.-as an example.
During Lent I try to focus on the passion and the stations of the cross. I have found a way of doing the stations privately a year ago that I find most meaningful. The thing is I never had the intention of doing them this way when it happened the first time.It must have been the Holy Spirit because I was simply sitting in adoration when I was drawn to the stations. Now though I intentionally do it the following way as I find it so meaningful.
What happened was that as I thought about each station I imagined the conversation going on between Jesus and the Father. Jesus had to be conversing with the Father as he was carrying out the Father’s will. Remember Jesus wanted to let this cup pass him but accepted the Father’s will even though it was going to be so difficult. The Father was with Him during the passion giving Him strength. Jesus was determined to do the Father’s will but the Father helped Him to complete it. Every time I do the stations this way I find new insights into the relationship of Jesus and the Father. Since the first time this happened I find the Stations to be a better private prayer then in community. I can ponder each as long as I like and as long as conversation between the Father and Son continue at each station.
I have not started journaling but it is something I should consider maybe.