There are many different ways to pray
"Give ear to me and hear my prayer."
- Psalm 17:6 (NIV)
Today, I am placing two important entries on the page of my gratitude journal. One is a long-standing prayer request for one of my sons; another is a prayer request for a dear friend. My prayer for her was answered quicker, yet was just as urgent.
Like many of you, I've been praying for years. I'd like to tell you that every prayer I pray gets answered in my way or time, but that is not the case. However, I have had many miraculous and timely prayers answered.
Prayer is a mystery. We don't have the understanding for how God hears the prayers of believers from around the world all at the same time, or how God decides the perfect time to answer each individual's request. But he does.
We don't always realize, that how we pray can make a difference. As I study the Bible, I see different models of prayer. I enjoy reading them to receive insights on how to pray. In many of the accounts, we see examples of women who wept as they raised their voices to God. In contrast, men gave a quiet whisper to open heaven's door.
When we listen to Jesus's instructions, he informed us there are times for fasting when we pray. This means to sustain from something such as a meal, which can give us mental clarity as we pray. Or, we might give up something else, like a form of entertainment that could be keeping us from our prayer time.
In other examples, prayer meetings could last for extended periods of time before rendering a miraculous breakthrough. And many times prayers were offered in songs that were answered when heaven literally resounded with a mighty earthquake.
If you're like me, at times, it's difficult to figure out how to pray. To me, the most important prayer is the simple one rendered from a heart in childlike faith. These are ones that I have experienced move the mountains in my life.
• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She will be speaking at Panera Bread in Round Lake Beach Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. on "The Power of Prayer." Email AnnetteeBudzban@aol.com or call (847) 543-8413.