Men are an interesting species, to say the least. We tend to naturally dislike being vulnerable and also dislike asking others for help. Not all men but most men. Also, communication seems to be a struggle point for most men. Consequently, it’s not surprising that many struggle with the idea of prayer. We already struggle with communicating with people we can see so I understand the struggle of communicating with an Invisible GOD. However, God wants us to be in constant communication with him. Don’t believe me, read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Rejoice always, Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (Thessalonians 5:16-18,ESV)
Expose your Manhood
We can be tricked and hoodwinked into thinking prayer is not important and not productive. Let’s go ahead and expose how we are taught and how it affects our thoughts on prayer. As men, we are influenced to trust no one with our thoughts, secrets, and concerns. We often hear phrases like “Don’t trust nobody” and are encouraged to believe that we can be self-made and that we can do it all by ourselves without the help of others.
Regardless of whether we are told directly or indirectly, men often keep it all in because we believe that expressing their concerns might lead to appearing vulnerable, or that others may not care to listen, thus refraining from burdening them with their issues. Some even believe that their problems are incomprehensible to others, leading them to avoid sharing altogether. These are all CAP and could be the very thing that keeps us from communicating through prayer to a God who cares, wants to hear, and can help.
Now we know the lies let’s get into what exactly is prayer, why it’s important and finally how to pray.
What is Prayer ?
In the simplest form, Prayer is the one true way for us to communicate with the true and living God. It’s our never-busy, always-available line of contact with God. Our prayer is whatever words we choose to communicate to God at that moment. Whether we are saying thank you, asking for something we need, crying out for help, seeking guidance, etc. Those words that we direct toward God are considered prayer.
Communication is a two-way street and we often forget about the second path of communication. LISTENING! In moments of stillness, as we listen for the voice of God, waiting for His guidance becomes an integral part of prayer. It’s crucial to not only speak to God but also to pause and await His response. Through attentive listening, we find answers to our prayers or discern the path for further supplication.
Our Prayer can be audible, silent, private, or public. It’s all considered prayer as long as we are in communication with God. Rest assured prayer is communication and while we ask it does not mean we will get exactly what we prayed for. God is not a genie that grants wishes but will answer our prayers by granting us the answers we NEED! This is why it’s important to know Why we pray.
Why do we pray ?
So we know that prayer is communication with God. So just like our human communications, the more we communicate with God the stronger our relationship with God becomes. It’s very easy for us as men to get caught in the mindset that we can do it all ourselves but having a relationship with God and leaning on God for help through prayer can help us in so many ways.
Consider all the things we face as men, ranging from temptations to a lack of direction and guidance on certain topics and scenarios coupled with a sense of powerlessness when circumstances are beyond our control, and the list goes on. Prayer can help us with all these challenges and that’s why it is so important to pray. We are tapping into divine wisdom when we pray to GOD.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." (Psalm 118:1, ESV)
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:4-5, ESV)
The prayers we say are always heard by GOD and even when we go to GOD with all our requests, he never gets annoyed like our human father might. Even Jesus encouraged us to ask. In Matthew 7:7-8 it says ASK, and it will be given to you, seek, and you’ll find, knock, and it will be opened to you 8. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
You know the saying: closed mouths don’t get fed. So go ahead and ask through prayer. Now let’s get into how we might pray.
How do we pray ?
Do we need to be on Instagram praying for everyone to see? Do we need to Tweet (X) or threads our prayers? How about praying using big fancy theological words? Nothing is wrong with any of those ways of praying but we don’t have to necessarily pray like that.
Prayer is a genuine heart-to-heart with God where you get to express your feelings, gratitude, frustrations, requests, plans, etc. It does not have to be loud, it does not have to be in the open. A simple word of gratitude, Thank You, GOD! Can be the only prayer we say at the time but it is still a prayer. GOD I am sorry is a prayer! The quiet prayer you say in your head where you air out all your requests, wrongdoings, etc is also considered a prayer.
Matthew 6:5-14, Jesus tells us about how we should pray, and also from verse 9 gives us an example of a prayer we can say. This example is not a prayer that has to be repeated every day every hour on the hour but more of a template or example. The Lord’s prayer as it is called has requests in there, Repentance (Forgiveness) in there, a request for guidance is in there, and most importantly, We ought to have certainty in God and an understanding of who God is and the power and divinity that is GOD
The wrap up
It is easy to pray if we follow the template of the LORD’S PRAYER. Now that you know the importance, the reason we pray, and how to pray. My prayer is that you use this information to make prayer a habit and understand the power that comes from being in constant communication with GOD. Start simple, but be sure to keep consistent and strengthen your relationship with the true and living GOD.
The little Engineer that could! Ryian Williams, wears multiple hats as a husband, father, author, speaker, and engineer. Driven by his enthusiasm for coaching and uplifting men, he has embraced the lifelong mission of guiding men toward becoming the most authentic versions of themselves
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Something to think about