I am writing a book on praying and am learning a lot as I dig deeper into what the Bible says about prayer. My starting point is straightforward: What is prayer?

There are many ways to describe prayer and many examples in the Bible. Prayer is the foundation on which God’s people, both in the Old and the New Testament, based their relationship with Him. Prayers prayed thousands of years ago still inspire and bless His people today.

I looked at how others defined prayer, and finding different examples and phrases was easy. I spent some time reading through them and the scriptures they referred to. After going through this process, these are the ones I chose.

It can be a time to share our feelings and worries with God.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7. Knowing I have God to turn to when I am worried is a real blessing. I love the words ‘cast all’ because it speaks of throwing off all anxiety and letting him deal with it all.

A place where we can ask God for guidance and wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5. How many times during the day are we at a loss as to how to deal with something? It’s a great encouragement to say to God, ‘I don’t know how to deal with this; give me the wisdom I need, please.’

A safe place to admit our wrongs and ask for forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. Sin and the guilt that comes with it can be a terrible burden. If we come to God, He will forgive our sins, and we can be unburdened.

It can be praying in the Spirit. “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18.
Sometimes, we do not know how to pray, but we can pray in the Spirit. By using our prayer language, we don’t pray with our mind, but our spirit prays directly to God.

Take time today to reflect on what prayer means to you. It might be helpful to write it down and ask God to speak to you about what you have written. Write down any scriptures that come to mind, then pray them through. The next time you pray, allow them to shape how you pray.