Guest Column
Teen Helps Build Prayer Life
By Craig Macartney
how do we move beyond talking about prayer to
actually doing it regularly?
It happened several years ago at summer camp during a of our relationship with God. If we are pursuing intimacy with
counsellor Bible study. About 10 of us were sitting around God, we’ll have a prayer life that’s on fire – really exciting! We’ll
a fire talking about a crisis in Africa for a good 20 min- be watching the clock at work or school, waiting to get home
utes when one of the leaders started cussing. He was really for some focused prayer time with the Lord.
worked up about us being “all talk, no action.” He So how do you start to get to know God
Jesus talked
dropped the “F-bomb” several times and at the through prayer?
end said: “You know what? Tomorrow when we
about praying
come to the Bible study not one of you will have
in a closet for
done anything about Africa. Most of you won’t
a good reason:
remember any of the details. But every single one
there aren’t
of you will remember that I cussed you all out.”
Our prayer life is another area that can eas-
many things
ily be all talk, no action. We read how-to books
going on in a
about prayer and attend seminars. We feel good
closet – not a
about having read the book or gone to the semi-
TV in sight
nar. But does our prayer life change much after-
ward? We might know more about prayer but,
unless this leads us to actually talking more to the Father,
we have, in fact, done nothing.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s good to read a book teaching
us how to pray. It’s inspirational. But such books usually
describe the other person’s experience praying and moving
forward in his relationship with God – not ours. Unless we
take this knowledge and talk to God, it’s actually giving us
an illusion of having acted to resolve our lack of prayer. In
the end, the inspiration might get us praying for a week but
often it has little lasting impact.
How can we begin to build an exciting prayer life that
doesn’t quickly run down? Perhaps more vision is the key.
Later … I’m Talking to the Lord
If I call several teenage friends of mine on the phone, their
parents may say “Sorry but he [or she] is praying right now.”
These are Mennonite, Pentecostal and Missionary Alliance
teens. Other friends will tell their parents: “Just take a message. I’m not coming to the phone right now. I’m praying.”
What would make youth turn down a phone call from
a friend? For these friends, it’s their understanding and vision for prayer.
If given a choice to speak to Jesus or with the highest ranking world leader today or the most popular celebrity, my friends
wouldn’t hesitate. They’d pick Jesus. The more we know God,
the more we will want to talk to Him. In a way it’s a barometer
Race to God in Prayer
There are many types of prayer and ways to start.
But let’s look at the importance of beginning
slowly, building in variety, using Scripture and
seeking to have fun in God’s presence.
Begin slowly. Start by putting aside 10 minutes a day for prayer, then add five or 10 minutes
each week until you reach the goal you choose. In
your initial enthusiasm, don’t decide to pray for
an hour every day for the rest of your life. That’s
not realistic. Set realistic goals that stretch you, but goals that
leave you craving more of God’s presence. It takes discipline,
and that takes practice.
Variety makes prayer time more interesting. It’s the same
with all our relationships. If our prayer involves only a “
shopping list” (“Please help Ryan find a job. Mom needs healing.
I need a mentor.”), then prayer quickly becomes dull. When
you’re asking God’s help for others, don’t merely name the
problem. Ask God for input about the issue or ask Him to
point out the most important concern.
Pray the psalms. This is an easy way to pray! Begin with
Psalm 23, 91 or 100. Start by reading the first verse aloud. If
it stirs any thought in you, pray that to God. For example,
Psalm 23 starts “The Lord is my shepherd.” You might pray:
“Lord, lead me today and keep me in your will. Make me
willing to follow you, like a sheep.” Pray for a short period
or for a long time – whatever God puts on your heart. Then
move on to the next verse.
If you aren’t stirred by anything in a verse, that’s OK.
Move on to the next. It helps if you read slowly so the words
can sink in. You can pray for hours this way – praying the
Scripture back to the Lord. And it’s fun!
In my ideal day I start by worshipping and praising God
for who He is, then reading the Bible, followed by listening
for His voice in complete silence – for a few minutes or up to
half an hour. Then I go through my Christian shopping list.
