How to use spend an hour in prayer
Prayer is as diverse as any form of communication and there no prescribed format or way of using an hour in prayer. In fact one of the great things I find talking to people is how they pray. I recall one person describing how she prayer-swims: swim a length and pray about a specific topic! That may be adventurous, but spending an hour in prayer is a common desire, so how can you do that?
An hour in prayer can sound like a long time but the following guide may help it to fly past. The hour is broken down into different sections as the diagram below shows.
- Worship – Come into God’s presence by a time of praise and worship. Declare the truth about God, sing, listen to a CD or even dance!
- Bible reading/meditation – Look at a passage of scripture and meditate on it. Not sure what to read – try a Psalm, 23 is probably most well known but I still love it.
- Reflection – God’s Word is living, so what speaks to you? What does it say that you can thank God for or pray for? What other passages does it bring to mind?
- Pray – Choose a theme in this month’s prayer topic and ask God to lead your prayers for it. What does God want you to pray? Where does your heart
- Listen and be still – God may give you a picture, a passage or a real sense of His presence.
- Response – God may have shown you how to pray next, or you may need to talk with Him about what He has shown you or said. Record your reflections in a prayer diary
- Pray – Choose another of the themes in the monthly topic and ask God to lead your prayers for it.
- Thanksgiving – Thank God for who and what He is and for hearing and answering your prayers. Thank Him for the specific things that are going to change as a result of your prayer.
