By Gina Caswell Kelly
How do you start your day? By hitting the snooze button three or four times? Jumping straight out of bed and head to a workout? Or lying there contemplating the day and what it might or might not hold for you? Probably, if you are like most people, it is the snooze button answer! My prayer life has been heavy on my mind in the last month or so. I have listened to a couple of sermons on praying. Then I am a part of a group doing a daily study on prayer. Plus, I have had a couple of pretty serious prayer requests on my mind. All of this has added up to me trying to be more intentional about my prayers.
I don’t remember if it was in one of the messages or where I heard it, but someone said we should give our first 15 minutes to God every morning. So now, I wake up before the alarm, and giving my first 15 minutes to God is the first thing I think of when I wake up. My first impulse had been to pick up my phone and see what happened while I slept. But, now I am immediately thinking “First 15 minutes to God.” It has been amazing. And I am actually doing it! I am giving my first 15 to God.
Another thing I have picked up in my listening/reading/learning in the last few weeks is to be more specific when I pray. Don’t always just say, “Lord bless them and watch over them.” If you are praying for them, then you should have some idea what their needs are. I made a list of the people for whom I regularly pray and beside their names, I wrote what my specific prayer would be for that person. Let me tell you, there was one that I prayed that God would open a door for me to have an open one-on-one conversation about salvation and God’s plan. Lo and behold, a day or two ago, I got a call from this person and I went to pick them up and had a deep discussion about God and His plan. A tearful discussion about where this person is and where he wants to be. And the whole time, I am thinking excitedly in my head, “God gave you exactly what you asked for!” I am still praying and still being specific for this person, but great headway was made the day God answered my request.
The third thing I am trying to do better is to start my prayers with thankfulness and praise to God for all that He has done and all He continues to do. And, being very specific with that, as well. Oh, what a difference a grateful heart can make as you start your prayers.
Don’t get me wrong. My prayer life is far from perfect. I still wander off in my prayers and a few minutes later realize I am making a grocery list in my head. I still occasionally fall asleep praying. And I still have that urge to grab my phone first. But, the Holy Spirit is helping me and encouraging me to make this attitude of prayer a lasting habit.
How is your prayer life? Be intentional and specific! It will make a difference!
