A question about prayer (Jesus Christ, ritual, Latter-Day Saints, Creator, Earth)

[Hacker]

I was wondering, how do you guys pray, what do you pray, do you pray daily, how often, and do you feel a sense of peace in doing so? And, why is prayer so important to you? What's your favorite prayer, if you wish to share? I hate to sound like a drab, but sometimes I feel that consistent prayer is sensless, however, I do pray every single night but that's it, I meditate for peace and intuition, etc. So, maybe I'll learn a thing or two from you.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by tlcmel

I was wondering, how do you guys pray, what do you pray, do you pray daily, how often, and do you feel a sense of peace in doing so?

I pray, kneeling (usually by my bed) morning and night, almost without fail. I open my prayer by addressing God as either "Father in Heaven" or "Heavenly Father." Then I begin talking to Him, pretty much as I would talk to my earthly father.

I thank Him for my blessings, which include His love and concern for me and His unending patience with me , His Plan of Salvation, His willingness to let His perfect Son accomplish for me what I could not accomplish for myself, and the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ which helps me to understand His Plan and my relationship to Him. I thank Him for allowing me to come to earth to experience mortality, for blessing me with two of the finest parents anyone could possibly have. I thank Him for letting me be born at the time and place I was. I acknowledge the fact that billions of His children are less fortunate than I am, and ask Him to watch over all of them and to help me to never forget how blessed I am. I thank Him for all of the physical things that make my life good... a comfortable home, a good job, good health, etc.

My father died 13 years ago; I ask Him to give "Papa" my love, and to continue to bless my mother who, at 93, is still in remarkably good health. I ask Him to take care of her, to help her to live out the remainder of her days here on earth in good physical and mental health. I thank Him for my sister and ask Him to bless her and her family, especially their teenage son who has cystic fibrosis (particularly since she and her husband are not at all religious and don't pray themselves). I thank Him for my husband, who is one in a million, and pray that he will be blessed with continued good health and happiness. I ask that he will be able to be successful at work, and be helped with the ability to please an unusually difficult boss! I ask Him that I will be a more kind a loving wife -- more the kind of person my husband deserves. I pray for my two adult children. I ask that they will be blessed with good health and with safety wherever they may be, and that they will find happiness in life. I ask Him to help them to be strong and to have the courage to make the difficult decisions that may face them. I ask that my relationship with my daughter will improve. (It's not terrible, but it certainly could be better. ) And, since they are no longer practicing Latter-day Saints, I ask God to help them to someday feel the desire to return to the Church.

I ask God to take care of my pets (I have two Collies and a cat), especially when I am at work and not able to be there for them. Since I have had several loved pets who have died over the years, I ask that He give them peace and rest and that He allow me to be with them again someday.

I ask for help and guidance in living my life in accordance to His will. I ask Him to help me in making the right choices when faced with challenges and I ask Him to strengthen my faith in Him and my love and devotion for His Son. I ask that He will help me to learn to be less judgmental and more slow to anger. I ask Him to help me use my time wisely, so that I will be able to accomplish the things I believe are important in life. I ask that I will have the self-discipline I need to succeed at meeting my goals. Finally, I ask that His will be done, but that He will give me the strength to humbly accept whatever trials I may be asked to endure.

I then close my prayer, "in the name of Jesus Chrst. Amen."

And, why is prayer so important to you? What's your favorite prayer, if you wish to share?

Prayer is important to me because I am convinced that God is really listening to me talk to Him. I can't make it through this life (even though my life is certainly not difficult by any standard) without Him. He has answered so many of my prayers that it is impossible for me to ignore that fact. My favorite prayer is the one that comes from my heart and that nobody else know the words to.

[mrsk]

I usually pray in the morning, sometimes at night. Sometimes during the day as the situation calls for it. (Deep breath-Father please give me patience w/ this person/situation, give me strength, I know you love this person..please help me to love them also, etc.)
I don't feel that prayer should be done a certain way. To me the important thing is that God WANTS to hear from you. He desires a relationship w/you. He knows your heart.
Usually I start by giving Him thanks for all of the blessings in my life, I confess any thing that I need to, voice any concerns I have. I ask that He fill me with His Spirit, so that I might be a light to all that I come in contact w/during my day. I ask that he guide my heart, my mind and my tongue so that I may say and do only what is pleasing to Him.
Sometimes, I don't know what I need........but He does and I just tell him that.

For me it often goes something like this...."Dear Heavenly Father I come to you today to just thank you Lord for all that you do in my life. For the grace and mercy of your love. Father please guide me today with__________ I am really struggling with that. I want to do whats right but my old self keeps getting in the way. Please give me your strength. Father, I'm worried about ____________. I just lift him/her up to you Lord. You know what is needed there. I just ask that you guide them also. Give them ___________ so that they may be comforted/strengthened."

Your prayers just need to come from your heart. Open it to Him. He knows it all anyways. Yes, that does give me a sense of peace. I KNOW that He hears me, and loves me. He may not always give me what I WANT, but he gives me what I NEED.

[lizskid]

I pray wherever I am in no certain postion. I pray for things as they come up, like a friend in need, etc. I only take a moment, and it is like a conversation/acknowlegement/contact directly with God. I tend to be more formal in my prayer than the more contemporary churches, etc. I also meditate some, like when mowing the yard, I think about nature and spiritual things. It helps give me peace.

My favorite prayer is actually a confession of faith "The Apostle's Creed." I have always loved it and it means a lot to me. Especially since I know more of the specifics of the actual wording and how it was developed.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
hedescended into hell.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. AMEN.

[nature]

• The Muslim observes his prayers to show devotion and obedience to Allah, because prayer is one of the greatest forms of worship that Allah likes His servants to offer.
• To thank Him for creating us in the best form of creation.
• Because He has guided us to the Deen (Religion) of Islam.
• Prayer is a chance for Muslim to express to his Lord whatever he needs through Divine Words of Allah i.e. Al-Qur’an.
• To remember his Lord and not forget His commands amid life preoccupations.
• To ask Allah (Exalted) to give him aid and continuous guidance in the darkness of life.
• To strengthen love and fear in the Muslim’s heart so that he might remain sticking to the right path of Islam, and its laws and manners.
• Gaining good rewards from Allah and having our sins forgiven.
• To rejoice when he finds himself on the Last Day pleased with the great reward allotted to him in the Gardens of Bliss.
• Prayer is a unique training and development program which, if well and devotedly performed, can achieve for Muslims many valuable physical, ethical and spiritual gains such as cleanliness, health, order, punctuality, brotherhood, equality, social consolidation,…….etc.