Meaningful Prayer

Think about your personal prayers. Ask yourself these questions, and ponder the true answer.

Am I being sufficiently sincere?

Am I asking in faith?

Do I have real intent?

Am I truly communicating with Heavenly Father, or just going through the motions?

Am I only praying and studying during rough times, or is it a regular part of my life?

How do I make my prayers more meaningful?

Please take time to think about all of these questions, and then please go study these talks. 

From “Ask in Faith” By Elder Bednar

“We can move beyond routine and “checklist” prayers and engage in meaningful prayer as we appropriately ask in faith and act, as we patiently persevere through the trial of our faith, and as we humbly acknowledge and accept “not my will, but Thine, be done.”

3 things: 

First, ask in faith and act. 

Elder Bednar says that he understands it as “the necessity to not only express but to do, the dual obligation to both plead and to perform, the requirement to communicate and to act. … Asking in faith requires honesty, effort, commitment, and persistence.”

Second, patiently persevere through the trial of our faith. 

He teaches that no miracles come until after our faith is tried. We must be CONSISTENT in order to receive blessings. 

Third, humbly acknowledge and accept “not my will, but Thine, be done.”

Discerning and accepting the will of God in our lives are fundamental elements of asking in faith in meaningful prayer. However, simply saying the words “Thy will be done” is not enough. Each of us needs God’s help in surrendering our will to Him. Humble, earnest, and persistent prayer enables us to recognize and align ourselves with the will of our Heavenly Father.

So how do I make my prayers more meaningful?

From “Pray always” By Elder Bednar

“I testify that prayer becomes more meaningful as we counsel with the Lord in all of our doings, as we express heartfelt gratitude, and as we pray for others with real intent and a sincere heart.” 

3 things: 

First, counsel with the Lord in all of our doings. 

He teaches that in our morning prayers, we should express appropriate thanks for blessings received, plead for understanding, direction, and help to do the things we cannot do in our own strength alone. Then, during the day, keep a prayer in your heart for guidance. Notice how in situations where you'd normally speak harshly or get angry, you don't, and  recognizing that heavenly help. Quietly offer a prayer of gratitude in those moments. At the end of the day, kneel and thank God, review the day's events, repent, and plan to improve. All of our prayers throughout the day, especially our evening prayers, build on morning prayers, making them connected across days, weeks, months, and years. This practice helps us "pray always" and are instrumental in receiving God's highest blessings.

Second, express heartfelt gratitude. 

“The most meaningful and spiritual prayers I have experienced contained many expressions of thanks and few, if any, requests. … Let me recommend that periodically you and I offer a prayer in which we only give thanks and express gratitude. Ask for nothing; simply let our souls rejoice and strive to communicate appreciation with all the energy of our hearts.”

Third, pray for others with real intent and a sincere heart.

“If those we love and serve have not heard and felt the influence of our earnest prayers in their behalf, then the time to repent is now. As we emulate the example of the Savior, our prayers truly will become more meaningful.”

H Burke Peterson:

“As you feel the need to confide in the Lord or to improve the quality of your visits with him—to pray, if you please—may I suggest a process to follow: go where you can be alone, go where you can think, go where you can kneel, go where you can speak out loud to him. The bedroom, the bathroom, or the closet will do. Now, picture him in your mind’s eye. Think to whom you are speaking, control your thoughts—don’t let them wander, address him as your Father and your friend. Now tell him things you really feel to tell him—not trite phrases that have little meaning, but have a sincere, heartfelt conversation with him. Confide in him, ask him for forgiveness, plead with him, enjoy him, thank him, express your love to him, and then listen for his answers. Listening is an essential part of praying. Answers from the Lord come quietly—ever so quietly. In fact, few hear his answers audibly with their ears. We must be listening so carefully or we will never recognize them. Most answers from the Lord are felt in our heart as a warm comfortable expression, or they may come as thoughts to our mind. They come to those who are prepared and who are patient.”

Heavenly Father is waiting to communicate with you and bless you. I hope that we can all develop more meaningful and consistent prayer habits. As we do, we will become closer to and more one with our Father in heaven and His son Jesus Christ. We will have the constant influence of the Holy Ghost to lead and guide us.

“Cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

“Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 37:36–37).