Making prayers more intentional, feel meaningful

Rev. Kristin Hutson at the pulpit. Photo: Gerald Farinas.

After church today, someone asked me what she could do to make her prayers feel “less passive” and not so much a list of things she wants or needs—sort of like making resolutions that just get a simple glossing over before we move on to the next thing.

“I want my prayers to feel more meaningful to me,” she said with an emphasis on the word feel.

I assured her, God knows deep down what we really need and what we’re really asking for but sometimes we just need help fine-tuning the words so that we, ourselves, can better understand what it is we’re asking.

Here are a few ways we can do this:

Remember God has control

Come to prayer intentions by acknowledging that ultimately, God is in control and He would want what’s best for His overall plan—for us and the people around us.

Ask yourself if what you’re praying for is something God would want to happen, too. He will take into consideration His will.

Remember, in the Lord’s Prayer, we always say the words, “Thy will be done.” Not ours, but His.

Be specific but trusting

My high school AP English Language teacher, Liane Voss, often told us to avoid really vague and generic speech when you’re trying to make a point.

Be clear about the needs or concerns you’re bringing before God. Not necessarily for God but rather for you to understand what you’re really asking.

And for God’s sake, trust in God!

Even as you name specific requests, “Pray with a heart open to God’s answer, whether it aligns with your expectations or not.”

Intercede for the others

Catholics like to use a word to describe their prayers to the Virgin Mary or to saints as “intercessions.” In other words, they are asking them to intercede or advocate for the person or persons praying.

In the Presbyterian tradition, we believe ourselves to be saints. And as such, we should be interceding for others. We will pray to God for others.

Reflect on the needs of our church or the larger Church, our Edgewater Beach or larger Chicago community, our local neighborhood, and broader world.

Consider the things other people bring up in church each Sunday as things they are struggling with or through. Pray for those same things for their sakes.

And don’t forget to maybe name out loud the kinds of injustices that are prevalent in the news lately, or issues where there is mercy lacking, or peoples in need of peace.

Incorporate thanksgiving and adoration

It shouldn’t all be requests.

God tells us He’s a jealous God. This also means He likes to be respected for His role in our lives—as a caregiver would expect.

So praise Him!

Spend time praising God for His character, works, and faithfulness.

I don’t remember where I read or heard this: thanksgiving cultivates a posture of humility and gratitude which will shape your intentions.

Also, name out the ways God has been faithful to us.

By doing so, we remind ourselves how God has answered our prayers in the past—and use those reflections to guide future intentions.

Prepare your heart

What is motivating your prayer request?

If you catch yourself asking for something that is self-centered, just stop. Take a breath. And then confess that you were being selfish.

As Illinoisans, God understands when we say, “Ope! I shouldn’t have asked for that. I’m sorry.”

And use your Bible!

Read passages from the Psalms, or the prayers in the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles to guide and shape your intentions.

Cultivate a spirit of ongoing prayer

The official Presbyterian Church (USA) prayer app called, Daily Prayer, reminds us each time we open it, “Pray without ceasing.”

Make prayer an ongoing conversation with God, seeking His guidance throughout the day.

There’s a wonderful old book called, Practice in the Presence of God, written by a 17th century Carmelite monk, a lay brother called Brother Lawrence.

He sees everything he does throughout the day as something he’s doing for God. This includes washing the dishes, folding laundry, cooking, tending to the plants, walking in the rain, etc.

Everything we do is an opportunity to pray and thank God. Every small task we do can be offered up to God as a prayer of thanksgiving and praise.

After prayer, take time to reflect on how God might be speaking through the particular circumstances we’re facing, or the Scripture we’re reading in Bible Study or that Pastor Kristin proclaims on Sundays, or how the Holy Spirit is moving within us, through us, and into the people and places around us.

There is value to communal prayer

I’m not a fan of some pastors who say all meaningful prayer is the personal prayer between the individual and Jesus.

One thing we did not turn away from in the Reformation as Presbyterians is the importance of praying as a community.

Praying as a group can be just as meaningful and powerful as personal prayer.

Go to places where you can hear the concerns of others. By the way, we do this at Wednesday night Bible Study, or the Men’s group led by Arthur Robinzine, or at worship each Sunday!

After hearing these intentions, we can participate in lifting them up together before God.

By using some of these tips, your prayers can become more thoughtful and feel like they’re more meaningful.