It happens to the best of us.

Some days our prayers feel empty.

Unproductive. Weak. Useless.

Our prayers seem to bounce back from the sky; it’s as if they aren’t reaching God.

We’ve knocked on the doors of heaven asking for the same miracle so many times our spiritual knuckles are bleeding. No answers appear. Silence is His response.

Are we not using the right words? Are we praying for the wrong things?

Maybe.

But then again maybe not. Maybe it’s just not time.

When my prayers feel this way and I’m discouraged, when my prayers are like a dog chasing its tail, and I’m going in circles in vain repetition, not going anywhere or seeing any movement forward, I stop.

I stop praying.

I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. And I change the direction of my prayers.

Rather than praying for the breakthrough, I began thanking Him for the healing or the provision or the ___________(you fill in the blank).

I thank Him for who He is and His goodness and kindness. His wisdom and grace. 

Jesus.

I thank Him for Jesus.

I open up my Bible to the Psalms and begin to pray through them as the Holy Spirit leads me. If I’m praying for someone else, I put his name into the scripture as I pray.

There’s just something powerful about praying this way. It’s calming to my worried heart when I pray words inspired by the Holy Spirit thousands of years ago. Words inked by kindred hearts who desperately needed God’s answers too.

The Psalms cover every prayer need from healing to provision, victory in battle to worshiping God.

Even my prayers of praise can get monotonous and repetitious, but the Psalms help me worship God in prayer.

If your prayer life isn’t productive these days or if you find yourself in situations where you just don’t know how to pray, stop. Stop praying.

Open your Bible.

And let the ancient words of the Psalms become your prayers.

Let’s practice. Let’s pray a portion of Psalm 146. Grab my hand:

(v. 5,6)

“Dear God, Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord her God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them–the Lord who remains faithful. Thank you for being our help. Help us come to you before we call our best friend or desperately try to fix a problem on our own. Be our help and our hope. Show us what that looks like. You made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them. Surely You can handle this problem of mine. And you remain faithful. Always. Thank you. Help us remember that when answers aren’t coming right away. We love you and worship you. We pray this in the name of Jesus, the tangible proof of your love and faithfulness. Amen.”

Leave a comment. Is this a new concept for you, or do you have a scripture you love to pray? 

Have a wonderful weekend. Bless somebody today.

 

Jesus loves you,