FAITH LESSON 1: START WITH PRAYER

Deciding to be dedicated to a faith journey can be overwhelming. From choosing which place of worship to attend, to the various "rules" that apply to being a believer, it can have you feeling like you're out of your depth. If you ask me, the first step is prayer.

Prayer is a pillar in many faiths and as such, it is generally assumed that everyone knows what prayer is, and how to do it. I won't make that assumption, instead I'll tell you where to start as a Christian.

WHAT?

Prayer is the way humans can communicate with God and it is used to build your relationship with God. Prayer is widely perceived as a wish list you give to God to fulfil but in reality, your prayers should go beyond that and focus on connection, worship and seeking alignment with God's will.

The part of prayer that is often overlooked is the listening that must come after. Prayer is not a ritual you do as a tick-box exercise, it is talking with God, not to God, and therefore once you have prayed, you need listen out for a response.

HOW?

I'm sure you have seen video online of preachers praying in elaborate and theatric ways, and many have prayed this way since the years the years B.C., however in Matthew 6, Jesus clearly states that all that isn't necessary.

"⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." Matthew 6: 7-8 (NIV)

Instead Jesus teaches us how to pray through what is called "The Lord's Prayer"

Matthew 6: 9-13 (KJV)

Do not let this prayer restrict you from speaking earnestly with God, but rather take it as comfort that even when you don't know what to say, God already knows what it is that you need and will understand you no matter how you engage (respectfully of course!). I also recommend closing your eyes as you do this, it will help you stay focused on the connection.

WHEN?

On my journey to regain trust in God, I decided that it was best to go back to the basics and started by saying The Lord's Prayer once a day. I was too hurt to pray in any other way, but I also knew that if I didn't communicate with God, I wouldn't be open to receiving communication from God.

The beauty of prayer is that it can be done at any time, God is always listening. My recommendation would be to pray in whatever way you find comfortable at least once a day to start, but you'll soon learn that your frequency will naturally increase; conversing with God feels good.

I hope this first Faith Lesson is helpful; feel free to leave any questions you have in the comments below.