When I was a Campus Minister, one of my duties was to lead a prayer over the school’s intercom system every morning. If you think you feel inadequate or inarticulate when it comes to praying, I promise you that praying over an intercom will amplify, not just your voice, but your anxiety as well.

If you are anything like me, you desire to pray and connect with The Father through this amazing avenue of prayer but sometimes prayer gets difficult. I get distracted. I get frustrated. I forget. I just flat out don’t know what to say some days.

In our Wednesday Night Men’s and Women’s class we are challenging one another to go deeper in our relationship with Jesus, one another, and the world around us. Prayer isn’t about getting things from God but about getting into relationship with Him. Just as your relationship with your spouse or family members grows through communication, your relationship with God grows as you spend time speaking to and listening to The Father.

If you are struggling with prayer or don’t know what to pray about, here are 4 Things You Can Pray For Right Now:

God’s GLORY
If there is one truth that will change your perspective on prayer it is this: Prayer is not about you. Prayer is all about God. Spend time praying that God will receive all the glory that is due Him. Pray that He will receive glory through your life, your decisions, in your relationships. When Jesus prayed that God’s will be done, he was praying that God would be glorified through his life and sacrifice.

In what areas of your life or this world would you like to see God glorified?

PERSONAL life
Jesus tells his disciples pray for their “daily bread.” Jesus isn’t just talking about carbs and calories here. He tells us that we can come to God to ask Him to provide for us whatever we need for each day. Some days I need God to give me rest. Some days I need help with my depression and anxiety. Some days I need more wisdom. Whatever I need, I know God provides. Here’s a list of things you can talk to God about:

– your joys
– your struggles
– your spiritual life
– your relationships
– your emotions
– your intellect
– your health
– your home
– your work
– your rest

What do you need to make it through the day today?

PEOPLE we know and love
Prayer doesn’t just change your relationship with God. It also changes your relationship with those that God has put in your life. Praying for others is one way we live out the golden rule – do for others what you would want them to do for you. When you pray for others, you move your focus off of yourself and on to another person. Your family, friends, and even your barista at Starbucks are all dealing with the same “daily bread” needs in their own lives that you are dealing with. Don’t close out your prayers today without praying for the people God has put in your life. If you don’t know what to pray for, send them a text and ask them. Chances are they will be quick to give you something from their heart that you can pray for… and they may even pray for you!

Who will you pray for today?

THE WORLD around us
A great Irish poet once said, “It’s no secret that the stars are falling from the sky / It’s no secret that are world is in darkness tonight.” Ideed the world around us seems to get a little darker every single day. Prayer is a small candle that you light in defiance of that darkness. With each candle, the darkness goes away a little more. With each candle, the world gets a little brighter.

What big issue going on in the world could use your prayers today.

I hope that these 4 ideas give you a little encouragement and provide for you some content to take into your prayer time with The Father today. If you want to dive a little deeper into your prayer life, I’ve listed a few suggestions for prayer resources below. Also, if there is any way I can pray for you today, hop over to Twitter or Facebook and send me a message. I would be honored to pray for you.

RECOMMENDED READING
Too Busy Not to Pray by Bill Hybels
The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson
The Autobiography of George Müller by George Müller
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
Armchair Mystic by Mark E Thibodeaux
The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard
Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster
The Book of Common Worship, Daily Prayer
2000 Years of Prayer

Is there a book on prayer that I left off? Do you have another suggestion for a resource on prayer? Leave a comment below and help us all learn a little more about growing our relationship with God.