Prayer Archives

Contemplative Prayer

We need to stop "chatting" so much. God calls us to solitude and silence - to rest in his love. Our most beautiful experiences are experiences that go beyond words. »MORE

God on Mute

For the sake of public perception, Christians are good at recounting stories about answered prayer. But we are not so good at sharing our disappointments. Yet, we must make some sense of unanswered prayer. Why? “It’s precisely because we believe so passionately in the power of prayer that we must also make sense of unanswered prayer.” »MORE

How NOT to Pray

The immediate context of the Lord's Prayer sheds insight into its divine purpose. Before Jesus calls us to "pray, then, in this way" (Mt. 6:9a), he exposes two erroneous ways of praying. He offers his prayer - the Lord's Prayer - as a remedy to wrong praying. Before Jesus teaches us how to pray, he teaches us how not to pray. »MORE

Positive Power of Negative Confessions

Contrary to contemporary opinion, confession of sin is a positive practice that bears rich fruit. To neglect confession is the "negative" and depressing way to live, leading to misery, inner turmoil, and unending sorrow. »MORE

Praying with the Church

If you learn one thing from my experience, I hope it is this: Don?t wait to go through the dry valley of prayerlessness before you avail yourself of the rich prayer resources the Church has to offer. Scot McNight?s book, Praying with the Church, is an excellent resource to begin your journey into these beautiful treasures of the Christian tradition. »MORE

Songs from the Heart: Emotions in the Psalms

If the Psalms are our guide, then we must embrace and express not only gladness, but also anger, sorrow, and fear. To close part of ourselves to God is to fail to worship God truly and fully. »MORE

Start Praying Like a Child: "Our Father"

Praying the Lord's Prayer regularly transforms our view of God, self, and others. Through continual use, we learn to think of God primarily as Father, ourselves as children, and others as members of God's family. This is a much needed corrective to our stern views of God, self, and others. No matter how mature we become we will always need to pray like a child. »MORE

Table Manners

In our consumeristic society, it is easy to confuse our needs with our wants. This confusion often extends to our prayer life. The Lord's Prayer calls us to remember that daily bread is a divine gift and not to be taken for granted. Our hunger - indeed, our demand - for more is a dangerous trap. »MORE

The Problem of Unanswered Prayers

We often turn to God at our most vulnerable moments, when all seems lost unless God steps in. Why does God remain distant, silent, and hard when we call on him? If God doesn't respond when we need him most, then why pray at all? »MORE

The Weight of Glory: "Hallowed be Thy Name"

The Lord's Prayer constantly reminds us of the weight of glory that surrounds us and seeks to invade and transform us and the entire world. To see this glory is a tremendous joy and yet a great burden. We dwell in theater of glory, haunted by glory, looking for glory in everything; and yet, so rarely in God. Our sin is that we settle for so little. »MORE

Unanswered Prayer

God's "yes" and "no" are both motivated by His love and wisdom! »MORE