Do you pray? I’ll venture to say, right off the bat, that most people reading this will answer, “Yes.” However, I’d also wager that no two people’s prayers lives will be exactly the same. Some people actually schedule time for prayer — as in, they write it into their weekly planners and consider it part of their to-do lists. Others are less formal and may say that they pray by living, meaning, they consider their daily actions as prayers because they do what they do for the sake of God. You may fall somewhere between these two types of praying. How you pray is not what matters most. However, studies show that making sure you do pray can be quite beneficial in many ways. This post is about prayer perks, which will hopefully help you enrich your spiritual life.
Many people could use some prayer perks in life
Sadly, prayer is up there on lists of things that people often push to the back burners of their lives while other seemingly-more-‘important’ tasks are at hand. Those who have studied the benefits of prayerful lifestyles may argue that there is no more important a task than daily communal with God, which is, after all, how prayer is most commonly defined.
One author who wrote about prayer described it as being a time-saver. How can this be, you ask, when most forms of prayer require taking time out of your day to fulfill them? The author, who wrote about 14 specific benefits of an active prayer life, says that living prayerful lifestyles helps us become good stewards of the time we’ve been given.
Many people who pray say it helps them make well-formed decisions in life and also provides a clear sense of direction. Anyone who has ever felt confused or over-stressed in life understands how overwhelming it can be; in fact, constant feelings of stress can be downright paralyzing, making even the most basic life decisions difficult. This is a great article for people who aren’t sure how to strengthen their prayer life.
Prayer perks can help create a sense of peace and focus
A sense of feeling grounded and centered and at peace often accompanies an active prayer life. Such feelings are conducive to clear thinking. Practically speaking, we can save a lot of time and prevent stress when our thoughts are well-ordered and purposeful. Praying helps us actively and directly invite God into our lives. While it’s possible to pray as we work, it’s also good to set aside time to rest, be quiet and still. In fact, God tells us in His Word to “be still” and “know” that He is God.
Do you feel too busy at times? Have you longed for stillness and peace and quiet? Do you feel a need to restructure or organize your thoughts and plans and goals in life? Is it difficult to recall the last time you took time to speak words of thanksgiving and gratitude to your Creator?
In addition to providing all we need to know to accept Salvation, the Bible also provides much practical advice on how to live happy, healthy lives. Don’t you find it particularly notable that Jesus Christ “took time” to pray? Several Scripture passages tell us that He went off by Himself to rest and pray.
I always love the stories in the Bible where Jesus is dining with others. I especially love a particular story where He Himself invites travelers to come and eat breakfast that He has prepared for them. This reminds me that God understands the temporal needs of our lives and the tangible ways He acted to serve those He loved when He dwelt on earth in the person of Christ.
Jesus prayed often
One of the things He did and did often, was pray. He also taught us to follow Him. Want to break some bad habits, refocus your thoughts, invite more stillness and peacefulness into your life? Would you like to maximize the time you have with purposeful living? Do you want to increase feelings of joy, hope and faith in your life?
Pray.
Writer Bio: Judy Dudich
Judy Dudich resides in the beautiful woods of Pennsylvania, where 24 acres of land and a home-office provide the perfect setting for her children’s home-education and her own homesteading and business ventures. Life is full of blessings (and challenges!) for Judy, as a wife, mother of 10 and Grammy to six. She is a published author, whose book, “I Surrender/A Study Guide for Women” continues to encourage and support others in Christian family lifestyles throughout the world. Judy has also previously worked in the online speaking circuit. Her passion for permaculture, re-purposing, foraging and organic gardening fills her days with learning and adventure that she loves to share.
