We’ve Renamed April to Praypril and We Are Focusing on Personal Prayer this Month
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We’ve been renaming the months in 2022 to help us focus on spiritual habits. So January became “Thank-You-Ary” and we focused on gratitude. February was “Remembruary” and we focused on remembering the things God has done. March turned into “March-itude” with a focus on solitude. Which brings us to Praypril and our focus on prayer.
Prayer is Communication
The essence of prayer is communication with God; and communication can be defined as the art of getting through. I think many of us wonder if God is there and if he really listens. Are we getting through? Over and again in the scriptures, God assures us that he listens:
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13
Prayer is Adoration
Prayer is meant to be loving. It can be an intimate thing between us and our Creator. Jesus encouraged us to pray to, “Our Father”, not some impersonal god. (See Matthew 6:9)
Prayer is Confession
When I pause to talk with God, I become more aware of my sin and selfishness. So prayer times for me include confession — I agree with God about my shortcomings and failures. I turn from this 180º towards Him. (See Hebrews 10:22)
Prayer is Thanksgiving
Every time I talk with God, I can’t help but recognize that He is good and He is taking care of us. It’s almost automatic to respond with gratitude, (Psalm 9:1).
Prayer is Supplication
This is a fancy Bible word that just means asking. In some ways prayer can be like making a grocery list. It’s asking God for what we need and what we want. God invites us to turn our worries into prayers, (Philippians 4:6-7), and to cast our cares on Him, (1 Peter 5:7).
Prayer Changes Things; Prayer Changes Me
I believe that our prayers are heard by God and He acts on our behalf. But more than that, I am seeing that prayer is the place where God changes me. It’s the place where the Holy Spirit is active within me. He invites me to align my needs, my wants, and my will with who He is.
“To say that “prayer changes things” is not as close to the truth as saying, “Prayer changes me and then I change things.” God has established things so that prayer, on the basis of redemption, changes the way a person looks at things. Prayer is not a matter of changing things externally, but one of working miracles in a person’s inner nature.”
So there you go, Happy Praypril to you! Enjoy your communication with God!