Praying When Your Words Are Unsure?

Jan 13

Have you ever come to your prayer time and had no idea what to say? Your heart was full of cares and personal issues. You struggled to find the words. You even struggled with how to approach God. You just, well, felt tapped out in prayer.

Maybe you have been carrying an issue so long that you have no more ways to pray about it. You have nothing else to say to God or ask for. Maybe that burden has caused such anguish in your heart you are lost in frustration or silence.

The first thing I want you to know is that God knows. He cares about that place that you struggle with in prayer.

Prayer can be hard. It can sometimes feel like work. When you feel like this you may not know what to say. Your words may feel like they are barely leaving your lips. Let me assure you even the most seasoned person in prayer feels this way too.

Prayer is not about getting it right or doing it like a pastor or other spiritual leader would. It is about you coming to the Father and pouring out your heart to Him. Prayer is about relationship. It’s about you believing that God hears you.

Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

This is a promise that you can hold on to when the prayer waters seem difficult.  I encourage you to just come as you are. Come with all the emotion or no emotion. Come sit in silence. Come with tears. But, just come.

Why? Because prayer is a two-way conversation and God is never short on words. So, when you are lost for words, He is not.

Let me give you some tips for when your words are unsure:

Quiet Place

If you can get alone in a private place with God, do that. Sometimes a change of environment helps us to pray and get our words out. Sometimes in that space we can hear our own thoughts better and we don’t need to say anything. The quiet place is a great place to just let go of the day and let God pour into the space of your heart.

 Be Honest with God

When you feel unsure of what to say, take the time in that place and be truthful with yourself and Him about where you are and what you are feeling. That honesty could be your love for Him, the anxiousness of your soul, the sorrow or loss you feel or whatever. Just pour out your heart in honesty.

Guided Prayers

This is a good one. Sometimes you may actually need to pray a guided prayer. These are found in prayer books or devotions where someone has a prayer already written out that you can use as a starting point to prayer. These types of prayers can be found on all types of subjects and are great starting points when you short on words.

Praying the Scriptures

 This is a great place to start also. Pray your favorite passages of scriptures. A great place to start is the book of Psalms. Pick a chapter that is a favorite or one that is speaking to your situation and pray God’s word back to Him. Before long you will not be lost for words.

Listening

 Listen after you have had a time of prayer. Even if your words are few and unsure. Begin to sit quiet with your own heart. Try to focus on what the Lord is saying to you in that moment. The Lord loves to talk to His children. He may say a lot or a little, but He will speak His will to your heart.

I want to share this beautiful promise from the scriptures on prayer…

Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NASB)

Keep this verse close. Let peace come and settle in your heart. Let that peace from God, even in your unsureness, run anxiousness away. Let peace fill your heart dear friend.