Lord, Teach Us To Pray

Community Practices

A study of how and why we pray.

Why Pray At All?

Levi Warren

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• One: Why Pray?

  Pray

  Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Philippians 4:6-7 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time. 

  Recap

  Why is it that we pray? Well, prayer is more than just religious duty or a way to get things from God. Instead, it’s a way to know God and grow in relationship with him. Through prayer, we are transformed to reflect Jesus and our desires become aligned with God’s will. In prayer, we learn to depend on God’s presence and grace, and through prayer an avenue is created for honest self-examination and healing. 

  But prayer isn’t only about personal transformation. It also invites us to partner with God in his work in the world. We intercede for others and become the answer to our own prayers as we help bring his Kingdom to earth. And it also helps us to shape things, in partnership with God, in the spiritual realm. The Apostle Paul reminded us that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the dark forces of spiritual evil who have set themselves in opposition to God. Through prayer, God invites us to participate in pushing back evil in order to bring his goodness to a hurting world.           

  Discuss

  Discuss the following prompts as a group.  

  1. Spend a few minutes debriefing last week’s take-home practice (Did you do it? How did it go?).

  2. What is one thing that stood out to you from the most recent teaching?

  3. How would you define the primary purpose of prayer? Has that changed or grown during your time following Jesus?

  4. What is usually the driving reason behind why you pray? (Gratitude, fear/anxiety, obligation, a specific need, a desire for relationship, etc.). Why do you think that is? 

  5. Is there anything you would like to be different when it comes to your current rhythm of prayer and connecting with God?  

  Practice

  This week, we will focus on what Brother Lawrence called Practicing the Presence of God. 

  The idea behind this daily habit is to see every moment as an opportunity to be with God. To turn even the most mundane routine into something sacred, because God is present with you in it. And while this idea sounds simple, it’s not necessarily easy at first. The key is to approach this practice with intentionality and with a lot of grace for yourself.

  Begin by choosing one daily (or semi-weekly) chore that typically feels mindless or routine to you. This could be anything from washing the dishes, taking out the garbage, or even brushing your teeth. It doesn’t matter how long or short the task is, it’s just helpful for it to be something that you have to regularly do. 

  Each time you do that simple chore this week, specifically use it to have a conversation with God. The point here is that the words aren’t necessarily structured. Yes, you can use structured prayers, especially if it helps you focus at first. This could be something like repeating the Lord’s Prayer throughout the chore, or even using a simple, one line prayer such as, “Lord, I am here with you in this moment.” But if you can, work towards having a free-flowing conversation with God, however short or long, during the task. 

  Think of this practice as having an agenda-free conversation with a friend. You can simply talk about life. Share how your day is going or what’s feeling heavy on your heart in this season. Talk about what is feeling joyful or exciting to you, something you are looking forward to. And remember, conversations aren’t just one-sided. You can ask God what is on his heart and mind, and what he’d like to share with you. Then listen for his response. 

  Again, this practice is simple, but not necessarily easy. Your mind will inevitably wander. You will become distracted. But that’s alright. When you’re ready, simply redirect your mind back into the conversation with God. You can even use the distracting thoughts as the basis for your conversation. Bring those things to God and ask if he has thoughts about them! Remember to have grace for yourself during this process. 

  As the week goes on, take note of how it feels to incorporate prayer into the routine of everyday tasks. Then come read to share about your experience with your community the next time you meet. 

  Pray

  To end your time, read John 15:4-5 as a group and then have someone close in prayer.