Prayer Rhythms

Listen

Prayer is primarily about cultivating a deeper relationship with God. It is both speaking and listening, asking and waiting, surrendering and receiving. Slow down, and make space to be with God throughout your day.

Daily rhythms - Start by closing your eyes, taking a deep breath, and just taking time to listen. Don’t ask God for anything. Just allow the Spirit to speak.

Weekly rhythms - Review your previous week; where did you notice God? Where is God leading this week, and how can you cultivate a greater awareness of him throughout the week?

Monthly rhythms - Take a day to sabbath. Use this time to rid your life of any distractions that cause your life and mind to wander. Relax and use this time to spend the day with your family and friends, and listen to the Spirit as he brings things up in your mind.

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Confession

Confession is a lost art in many church circles today, but it is a practice that we read about all throughout the New Testament. Confession to God and to others allows us to be honest with the battle that we all face every day against the way of the flesh and the way of Jesus.

Daily rhythms - Read Psalm 51 and give God your sin, guilt, and shame

Weekly rhythms - Fast for a day

Monthly rhythms - Spend time alone with God to search and name your sins. Searching is God's part; naming is ours. Stil your body and mind. Wait in silence, opening yourself up to the Spirit of God, releasing every possible interference. Then pray the words of David, restated as an invitation: ‘Search me, Lord, and know me.’ Wait. Pay attention to what may come up. Note how God begins to reveal you to yourself.

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Reflection

James 4:14 says, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
Every day we live is a gift from God. We have to be intentional about how we live.

Daily rhythms - As you wake up and as you go to bed, thank God for the day that He has made.

Weekly rhythms - Pray the Examen. Become aware of God — Review the day with the eyes of the Spirit. asking God for the light to see. It may seem rushed to you, a blur or chaotic. If you feel overwhelmed or struggle to focus, ask the Spirit to help you see and bring focus to your mind.

  • Look back with gratitude — As you explore your day, take note of moments where you can thank God for what's been. It may be as simple as noting the provision of food and waking in the comfort of your bed. Think about the people in your day and the connections made. Where was God in each relationship or conversation? Recall the little things about your day and simple everyday pleasures, and discover God among them.
  • Notice your emotions — Reflect on your feelings throughout the day. What do you notice? Without judging what you felt, did you feel anger? Contentment? Empathy? Happiness? Embarrassment? Trusting that God speaks through our emotions, what do you think God was saying amidst them?
  • Pray from one piece of your day — Allowing the Spirit to highlight one element of your day, be it positive or negative, and ask him to speak to you about it. Consider it with him and allow it to lead you to prayer, whether it's gratitude, intercession, petition, repentance, or praise.
  • Look ahead to tomorrow - Finally, ask God to prepare your heart for tomorrow. Notice how you feel about it — anxious, excited, nervous, overwhelmed — and invite the Spirit to speak to those joys and concerns. Ask for clarity for the day ahead and for peace to approach it with confidence. Ask for wisdom, for hope, for discernment.

Monthly rhythms - Pray a Psalm to God. The Psalms are prewritten prayers for us to give words to what we are feeling. As you pray the Psalm, allow it to form the way you think about your day. Meditate on those words.

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Intercession

Tyler Staton defines intercession as “a willing and intentional choice to turn from the endless spiral into the self – my desires, my needs, my circumstances – to the desire, needs, and circumstances of another.” A rhythm of intercession is the fuel that can be used to drive the way you see the world around you and the people around you.

Daily rhythms - As you talk with God in prayer, pray for one person before asking God for something.

Weekly rhythms - Pray Matthew 6:9-13. Ask God what ways God’s kingdom can come and be done in your life.

Monthly rhythms - As you talk to people around you and they ask you to pray for them, drop everything and pray for them on the spot. So often, we have the intention of praying for someone but then forget a few hours later.

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