How to Improve Your Prayers

1-2. (a) What could prevent us from opening up to Jehovah? (b) How do we know that Jehovah warmly listens to our prayers?

DO YOU at times feel that your prayers have become repetitious, superficial, or routine? If so, you are not alone. Because of our hectic pace of life, we may tend to rush through our prayers. Or we may even find it hard to open up to Jehovah because we feel unworthy of approaching him.

² The Bible assures us that what matters to Jehovah is, not that our prayers are elaborate, but that they come from a humble heart. He hears “the request of the meek.” (Ps. 10:17) He warmly listens to our every word because he is truly interested in us.​—Ps. 139:1-3.

3. What questions will we consider in this article?

³ We might then ask: Why can we confidently pray to Jehovah? How can we make our prayers more meaningful? How can reflecting on heartfelt prayers recorded in the Bible help us to improve our prayers? And what can we do if we are too distraught to put our feelings into words? Let us consider the answers to these questions.

CONFIDENTLY TURN TO JEHOVAH IN PRAYER

4. What can help us to turn to Jehovah in prayer with confidence? (Psalm 119:145)

⁴ When we understand that Jehovah is a loyal friend who wants us to succeed, we will realize that we can confidently turn to him in prayer. The writer of Psalm 119 tried to have that kind of warm relationship with Jehovah. His life was not problem free. He was wronged by deceitful men. (Ps. 119:23, 69, 78) He also had to deal with his own imperfections. (Ps. 119:5) Even so, he was not afraid to open his heart to Jehovah.​—Read Psalm 119:145.

5. Why should we not allow negative feelings to keep us from praying? Illustrate.

⁵ Jehovah invites even those who have committed serious mistakes to pray to him. (Isa. 55:6, 7) So we should not let negative feelings hold us back from praying. To illustrate, an airplane pilot knows that he can communicate with air traffic controllers if he needs help. Should he hesitate to contact them because of being embarrassed that he got lost or made a mistake? Surely not! Likewise, even if we at times feel lost or have sinned, we can confidently turn to Jehovah in prayer.​—Ps. 119:25, 176.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR PRAYERS MORE MEANINGFUL

6-7. How can reflecting on Jehovah’s qualities help us to make our prayers more meaningful? Give an example. (See also footnote.)

⁶ When we speak openly to Jehovah by sharing our inner thoughts and deep feelings with him, our prayers become more meaningful. So, what can we do to improve the depth of our prayers?

⁷ Reflect on Jehovah’s qualities.a The more we reflect on his qualities, the more we will be able to express our thoughts freely. (Ps. 145:8, 9, 18) Consider the example of Kristine, a sister who had a violent father. She explains: “Talking to Jehovah as a Father was not easy for me. I felt that my imperfections would cause him to abandon me.” What quality of Jehovah has helped her? She says: “Jehovah’s loyal love makes me feel safe. I know that he will not let go of my hand. Even if I fall, he will lovingly pick me up. This helps me to express my deepest joys to him as well as my deepest sorrows.”

8-9. What are some benefits of thinking about what you want to say before you pray? Illustrate.

⁸ Think about what to say. Before praying, you might ask yourself a number of questions. For example: ‘What specific problems am I dealing with right now? Is there anyone I need to forgive? Am I facing a new challenge that I need Jehovah’s help to overcome?’ (2 Ki. 19:15-19) We can also follow the pattern that Jesus set by thinking about what we can ask Jehovah regarding His name, His Kingdom, and His will.​—Matt. 6:9, 10.

⁹ When a sister named Aliska learned that her husband had terminal brain cancer, it was hard for her to pray. She recalls: “I was so distressed that I found it difficult to think clearly enough to say a prayer.” What has helped her? She explains: “I take a few moments before I pray to organize my thoughts, and this has helped me to make sure that my prayers aren’t focused only on me. This approach has allowed me to feel calmer and be in a better frame of mind when I pray.”

10. Why should we try to linger in prayer? (See also pictures.)

¹⁰ Linger in prayer. Even though short prayers can be meaningful, we are more likely to express our inner thoughts when we linger in prayer.b Aliska’s husband, Elijah, relates: “I try to pray many times throughout the day, and I’ve grown closer to Jehovah by taking the time to linger in prayer. Jehovah is not impatiently waiting for me to finish praying, so I can take my time.” Try this: Find a time and a place that allow you to pray, perhaps even out loud, without distractions, and make it a habit to linger in prayer.

REFLECT ON HEARTFELT PRAYERS RECORDED IN THE BIBLE

11. How do we benefit by reflecting on heartfelt prayers recorded in the Bible? (See also the box “Can You Relate to Their Circumstances?”)

¹¹ You may find it beneficial to reflect on heartfelt prayers and sacred songs, or psalms, recorded in the Bible. As you consider how God’s servants expressed their deepest thoughts, you will be moved to open your heart to Jehovah. You may also discover new expressions of praise that you can include in your prayers. And you are likely to find prayers that pertain to your circumstances.

12. What questions can we ask ourselves as we reflect on the content of a prayer?

¹² As you reflect on the content of a prayer recorded in the Scriptures, ask yourself: ‘Who spoke these words and under what circumstances? Can I relate to the thoughts expressed in this prayer? What lessons can I learn from it?’ You may need to do additional research to answer these questions, but it is worth the effort. Consider a few examples.

13. What is one lesson about prayer that we can learn from Hannah? (1 Samuel 1:10, 11) (See also picture.)

¹³ Read 1 Samuel 1:10, 11. When Hannah said this prayer, she was facing two major problems. She was barren, and her husband’s other wife was making her life miserable. (1 Sam. 1:4-7) If you are facing a persistent problem, what can you learn from Hannah’s prayer? She found relief by lingering in prayer and by unburdening her heart to God. (1 Sam. 1:12, 18) We too can find relief when we “throw [our] burden on Jehovah” by describing to him how we feel about our specific difficulties.​—Ps. 55:22.

14. (a) What else do we learn from Hannah’s example? (b) How can we enrich our prayers by meditating on the Scriptures? (See footnote.)

¹⁴ A few years after the birth of her son Samuel, Hannah presented him to High Priest Eli. (1 Sam. 1:24-28) In a heartfelt prayer, she expressed her conviction that Jehovah protects and cares for his loyal servants.c (1 Sam. 2:1, 8, 9) Her problems at home may not have disappeared, but Hannah focused on how Jehovah had blessed her. What is the lesson for us? We will be better able to cope with ongoing challenges if we focus on how Jehovah has supported us until now.

15. When we experience injustice, what can we learn from the prophet Jeremiah’s petition? (Jeremiah 12:1)

¹⁵ Read Jeremiah 12:1. At one point in his life, the prophet Jeremiah was troubled to see the wicked succeed. He was also affected by the way fellow Israelites treated him. (Jer. 20:7, 8) We can relate to him when we see dishonest people prosper or when we are ridiculed. Although Jeremiah expressed his frustration, he did not question God’s justice. As he saw how Jehovah disciplined His rebellious people, his confidence in God’s justice must have increased. (Jer. 32:19) We too can openly express our frustrations in prayer, trusting that Jehovah will in his due time correct any injustices we now face.

16. If we feel limited by our circumstances, what can we learn from an exiled Levite? (Psalm 42:1-4) (See also pictures.)

¹⁶ Read Psalm 42:1-4. This song was written by an exiled Levite who could not associate with fellow believers. His psalm reveals how he was feeling. We may be able to relate to him if we are confined to our home or imprisoned for our faith. Our emotions may fluctuate, but we do well to express them in prayer. This may help us to examine our thoughts and put things in perspective. For example, the Levite realized that he would have new opportunities to praise Jehovah. (Ps. 42:5) He also reflected on how Jehovah was taking care of him. (Ps. 42:8) Praying earnestly to God can help us analyze our feelings, restore our balance, and find the strength to endure.

17. (a) What can we learn from the prophet Jonah’s prayer? (Jonah 2:1, 2) (b) How might some expressions from the Psalms help us when we face difficulties? (See footnote.)

¹⁷ Read Jonah 2:1, 2. The prophet Jonah offered this prayer while in the belly of a big fish. Even though he had disobeyed Jehovah, Jonah was confident that God would hear his voice. In his petition, Jonah used many expressions that are found in the Psalms.d He was likely familiar with these passages. By reflecting on them, he felt assured that Jehovah would help him. Similarly, if we try to memorize some Bible verses, they may come to mind and give us comfort when we pray to Jehovah in difficult times.

KEEP DRAWING CLOSE TO JEHOVAH IN PRAYER

18-19. If we at times struggle to put our feelings into words when praying, what assurance do we find at Romans 8:26, 27? Give an example.

¹⁸ Read Romans 8:26, 27. We may at times feel so overwhelmed with anxiety that we cannot put our feelings into words. But we are not without help. At such times, God’s holy spirit “pleads” for us. How so? Through his spirit, Jehovah caused many prayers to be preserved in his Word. When we cannot clearly express our thoughts, Jehovah may accept certain expressions found in those prayers as requests that we wish to make, and he may answer them.

¹⁹ This thought helped a Russian sister named Yelena. She was arrested for praying and for reading the Bible. Yelena experienced so much stress that she found it difficult to pray. She relates: “I then remembered that when I feel overwhelmed and do not know what to pray for, Jehovah will accept the inspired prayers of God’s servants from the past . . . as requests I would like to make. . . . This proved to be very comforting to me during an extremely difficult time.”

20. How can we prepare our mind for prayer when we are under stress?

²⁰ When we are under stress, it can be hard to focus while we are praying. To prepare our mind, we can listen to audio recordings of the Psalms. We can also try to pour out our feelings in writing, as King David did. (Ps. 18, 34, 142; superscriptions.) Of course, there are no hard-and-fast rules on how we should prepare ourselves for prayer. (Ps. 141:2) Do what works best for you.

21. Why can we pray with our whole heart?

²¹ It warms our heart to know that Jehovah understands our feelings even before we say anything. (Ps. 139:4) Yet, he delights to hear our expressions of confidence in him. So do not hesitate to pray to your heavenly Father. Find inspiration in the prayers recorded in his Word. Pray with your whole heart. Share both your joys and your sorrows with him. As your true Friend, Jehovah will always be there for you!