Conversation with Father God is the definition of prayer. I was blessed to meet Father God as a child before I could read His Word. I learned that He loved me, and I believed it. I talked to Him, and He answered my prayers, and I learned to trust Him even more. At that time, I was too young to get academic about the matter. With the guidance of my parents, there were two times a day that I was more ceremonial about prayer, and that was before meals and before bed. Today I think there is a time for formal, structured prayer. But, know that prayer, and conversation with Father God, are available to you wherever you are at any moment of the day.
Never stop praying.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT
Here are a few triggers for prayer that may help you spend that extra devotional time and deepen your relationship with Father God. The more you take advantage of the ability and power of prayer, the better you'll be able to discern the voice of God, the better you'll be able to build your faith, and the better you'll be able to experience the peace of God and increase your joy.
Praying for Wisdom or Guidance
Seeking God will help you learn to hear God's voice. And a trigger for prayer would be that you need wisdom, guidance, or help. In these situations, formal prayer is appropriate. I like the Acts acronym for structured prayers:
- adoration
- confession
- thanksgiving and
- supplication
It's the last step, the supplication that you'll ask for wisdom, guidance, or help for the current issue. Then it's vital to take time to listen for His response. Just pause and wait and listen. Sometimes when you're listening for the voice of God, it may actually be a voice. However, for me, more often, it's a knowing. But I encourage you to be attuned to the nudges where He pushes you in one direction or another.
Are you at a crossroads and unsure if you should turn right or left? Just pick one. You have to move to get confirmation or course correction. Making a move is an act of trusting God. Trust that He will confirm that you're on the right road or that He will do the course correction. If you've ever been in your car with a GPS on and you plug something in, sometimes you may get a proceed to the route, move, head in the direction, and only then will the GPS talk to you and say make a right turn or make a left turn. The same is true with Father God. He cannot correct you until you move forward. He can't guide you when you're standing still. So trust Him. Move right or left and listen for the response, the knowing, or the nudge. Trusting and seeking God will build your faith.
Praying for Events - Small and Large
A trigger for prayer could be as simple as a new day. Trust God with your time. Trust that if you seek God formally first thing in the morning, you will have the time to do everything necessary. In this formal time, seek His face first. Say good morning and praise Him. Then, when you get to the supplication, you can ask Him for a happy day, for help at work, or to get the clients you need.
Another trigger may be a big event coming up. Maybe it's a big event at work or a big vacation. You can pray for help in the preparation, and after you've done all the rehearsals, you can pray over the event. You can pray for safety on your trip. You can pray that all goes well and according to your travel plans. These prayers build faith because you're asking for something specific, and it's easy to see the answers. You experience a happy day, get help at work, and the clients you need, have a successful event, or have a wonderful vacation.
Praying for Others
Another trigger for prayer that will build your faith would be when you notice an expressed or perceived lack. If a friend mentions a concern, an illness, or something that she needs help with, or you detect a need, then you can pray at that moment. You can pray with your friend, or you can pray silently yourself. You don't need to wait for a specific time to pray for God to intervene. You can pray at the moment.
Praying and Giving Thanks
Seeking God will also increase your joy because you will return to give God thanks. And giving thanks is the secret to increasing delight. Not only will you thank Him for the things you requested in your supplications, but there are additional triggers for you to give thanks. A trigger could be that you woke up in the morning. That's an opportunity for praise because it didn't have to happen. A trigger could be that you get to your destination safely and without incidents. A trigger could be the end of the day and praise for the answered prayers you made in the morning.
Giving thanks is an act of faith. You thank God for His provisions of the past and know that He is the same for tomorrow. And then you can face the future with confidence. And what could be more joyful than that?!