Prayer is a vital component of our spiritual life; this is where we commune with God. While we can reach out to Him at all times, in our prayers the communication lines are fully open; our prayers crystallize our spiritual thoughts, our insights, our concerns, our petitions, and our spiritual longings. Prayers are always heard and answered but not always in the manner we might expect. Just as a loving earthly father will not give his child every silly thing requested, so is it with God. A discussion about effective prayers is necessary before going on to other spiritual matters.
Our prayers must be spiritual in nature, they should deal with spiritual reality; physical concerns are of a secondary nature. We are praying in the spirit, therefore our petitions should be not be vengeful or petty. Also prayer is not a substitute for action;[1] we cannot expect God to do something we could do by ourself. We cannot ask for favoritism; we cannot ask Him to do something for us at the expense of anybody else. God does not play favorites. Selfishness has no place in prayers.
Another important aspect to prayers is the effect they have on the person praying. Effective prayers bring us peace of mind, cheerfulness, calmness, courage, self-mastery, and fair-mindedness.[2] This effect is in addition to any response to the prayer itself and comes as a result of the open communication with God.
Genuine prayer adds to spiritual growth, modifies attitudes, and yields that satisfaction which comes from communion with divinity. It is a spontaneous outburst of God-consciousness.[3]
When praying the words are not relevant because Father answers the soul’s attitude, not the words. Prayer is done in the spirit while the spoken words contribute to the social aspect of prayer.[4] We truly pray in the spirit to our Father who is spirit; therefore our deepest emotions and longings are transmitted during prayer, even our inexpressible longings are effectively sent.
Prayer is certainly important but there is more to our spiritual life than asking our Father for something.
Prayer is indeed a part of religious experience, but it has been wrongly emphasized by modern religions, much to the neglect of the more essential communion of worship. The reflective powers of the mind are deepened and broadened by worship. Prayer may enrich the life, but worship illuminates destiny.[5]
Jesus taught that after making a prayer we should remain in a silent receptive mode because at these times the spirit of the Father can speak to us;[6] during these meditative and worshipful moments some sort of communion is possible. He also taught worship is an experience that can transform the worshipper so we become more and more like the one worshipped.
During worship we contemplate spiritual matters, God; worship relaxes us after the tensions of living, in faith we contemplate the Father and this is an antidote for our feelings of being alone in the universe.[7]
Worship is the act of a part identifying itself with the Whole; the finite with the Infinite; the son with the Father; time in the act of striking step with eternity.[8]
During prayer we are asking for something but worship is simply an adoration of our Father without expecting anything in return.[9] We recognize God is so perfect, good, wise, loving and majestic that worship is the natural consequence of this realization; our mind consents to worship but the urge to worship comes from our soul, our evolving potentially eternal self.[10]