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Prayer Helps That Get Me Deeper

Published by Rick Meigs on August 26th, 2007 in Prayers.

This is a Synchroblog on “How Do You Pray?”

My prayer life is molded more by my own personality that any other factor. I’m the type that has a wondering mind. On top of that, I’m not a talkative person and have never been good at long conversations unless the other person can carry it. So when it comes to prayer, I’ve never been into long talks with God where one must stay focused. The vast majority of my prayers are short, spontaneous as the thought comes to mind, frequent (I never miss an opportunity to voice a pray even in the middle of other activities), and to the point. I must also tell you that I’m not much of a feeling type of person. I’ve been told that I have ice water for blood, so my prayers often reflect my cool analytical self.

But, I also know that there are other important forms to prayer that I would be missing out on if I only practiced the prayer form described above. These other forms don’t come to me naturally, so I’ve had to develop a number of helps.

My first help is that old and well used acronym ACTS. When spending some meaningful time in prayer, I use this acronym to keep focused and on track.

Adoration – I spend lots of time just praising my Father for who he is.
Confession – This leads to a time of confession (always needed).
Thanksgiving – Then I spend lots of time just thanking him for all he is to me and his love and provision.
Supplication – Finally, if after spending time in AC and T, the Father leads me to specific items that need to be lifted to him, I do so.

A second discipline is to write prayers. This allows me to spend lots of time working on it, working through and meditating on the issues, and learning how to express myself much more freely. I’ve enjoyed this practice and have deeply benefited from it. I also use it often when I know I’ll be asked to provide a prayer on a given occasion. There is nothing wrong with reading a well written, natural prayer that comes from hours with the Father.

Community prayer is another important tool. Any time I can get together with others of my faith community to spend time in prayer is well spent. As in any conversation, when others are participating, the burden to carry the conversation is shared. You interject your thoughts and build on others reflection in an often wonderful and deep communion with the Father.

Finally, praying through scripture has been a deep and meaningful experience for me. So many have been able to capture the emotion of the moment so much better than I can.

Other “How Do You Pray” Synchroblog participants include:

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22 Responses to “Prayer Helps That Get Me Deeper”

  1. Erin
    August 26th, 2007 at 10:34 pm

    Thanks for participating, Rick. We have such an amazing variety of voices on this one, it’s very cool.

    One thing that came to mind reading your post is I can hear Graham Cooke saying “If your mind wanders when you pray, go chase after it and bring it back”.

    I so have that problem - even more I sometimes fall asleep if I pray for to long, unless I’m standing up (so I do that sometimes).

  2. Lyn
    August 27th, 2007 at 1:48 am

    Thanks for sharing Rick. You wrote that your prayer life is molded by your personality. I think this is so true, and that is when it is wrong when people tell others that they do not pray “properly”. It is a unique, deep, personal thing.

    LOL Erin, I have the tendency to nod off as well!

  3. Synchroblog - How Do You Pray? : Beyond the 4 walls
    August 27th, 2007 at 2:04 am

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  4. Calacirian » Prayer - Synchroblog
    August 27th, 2007 at 5:32 am

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  5. cindy
    August 27th, 2007 at 6:04 am

    thank you for your post, rick! praying in the midst of activities seems to me one of the most honest and true ways we can communicate with God.

  6. Rick Meigs
    August 27th, 2007 at 7:49 am

    Erin,

    Thanks for the comment. I’ve not had the problem of falling asleep, but I have heard snoring in the room when we get together as a community for prayer :-).

  7. Prayer Phases « re-dreaming the dream
    August 27th, 2007 at 7:50 am

    [...] Rick Meigs* “The vast majority of my prayers are short, spontaneous as the thought comes to mind” [...]

  8. Rick Meigs
    August 27th, 2007 at 7:52 am

    Lyn, Oh how true! Prayer is a unique, deep, personal thing and we should practice it in a way that makes it unique, deep, personal thing for us.

  9. Rick Meigs
    August 27th, 2007 at 7:55 am

    Cindy, I’m reminded of Paul’s admonition to “pray without ceasing.”

  10. Alan Knox
    August 27th, 2007 at 7:58 am

    Rick,

    I’ve found that writing prayers has been helpful at times as well. Thank you for your post!

    -Alan

  11. sonja
    August 27th, 2007 at 8:19 am

    I’d forgotten about writing out prayers. Thanks for that … I do love writing things out and that has been a wonderful tool/guide over the past several years. It gets me into Scripture and other places of meditation that I don’t go on my own. I haven’t done that in a while now … but now you’ve reminded me … Thank you.

  12. Paul
    August 27th, 2007 at 8:37 am

    heh ice man, you can fly with me, i mean pray with me any time. Mav ;)

  13. Perigrinatio » how i pray (synchroblog)
    August 27th, 2007 at 8:38 am

    [...] Calacirian Lyn Hallewell Cindy Bryan Brother Maynard Lew A Jonathan Peres Out Of The Cocoon Alan Knox Rick Meigs [...]

  14. Adam G.
    August 27th, 2007 at 9:02 am

    This isn’t the same synchroblog that I usually participate in, is it? I don’t get an e-mail if it is.

  15. Prayer & how I pray « What’s your point caller?
    August 27th, 2007 at 9:15 am

    [...] prayed for years using the ACTS model, as set out in Bill Hybels’ book “Too Busy Not to Pray”. However, I sometimes [...]

  16. Rick Meigs
    August 27th, 2007 at 10:39 am

    Paul, next time I get to your side of the pond, I plan to look you up! Of course I do like ice in my cola and tea. Must keep the blood chilled :-).

  17. Rick Meigs
    August 27th, 2007 at 10:41 am

    Adam, I’m not sure. This one was started by
    Erin, Cindy and Lyn.

  18. How do I Pray? « A Life Profound
    August 28th, 2007 at 3:21 am

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  19. Cynthia
    August 28th, 2007 at 3:28 am

    Now that I don’t worry about the wandering mind, I just use that as part of my conversation. God always brings me back to where His spirit wants me. I like writing the prayers and praying scripture as well. So many varied ways to talk to God, aren’t there?!

  20. Posture - Sitting With My Daddy « Missio Dei
    August 28th, 2007 at 8:59 am

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