Freeform Prayers

If you are one of those people who feel tongue-tied when praying, you can use the prayers that the church has been using for centuries. (I adapted some for general use here.) But if you feel that structured prayers are too confining or feel artificial, the following pages contain tips to get you started talking to God.

Prayer should be easy. Prayer is talking to God, and anyone who can talk, can talk to God. Nevertheless, some of us are overwhelmed by the biggness of God, as we would be if we were put in front of the president and expected to hold a conversation with him. And God is not just important and powerful. Unlike the president, God created and rules the universe, He knows everything, and someday He will judge the earth. God intimidates us and leaves us tongue-tied. We are also confused by God’s invisibility. Prayer can seem like talking to yourself. All this is true, yet God has revealed Himself as a loving Father to His children, and He delights to hear our thoughts. God is a good Father who loves to talk with us, even when we don’t have anything important to say. That is because God loves us.

God is overwhelming, but He is kind and welcoming. Don’t worry about what to say, or how to say it. You may have heard people pray in formal and flowery language. They are being respectful to God, and that is appropriate. But you can be respectful in everyday language, too. Just start talking to God, and soon prayer will seem as natural as talking to your friends.