Lots of reflection about prayer lately. From the beginning of my christian experience I was given strict instructions on the absolutes -
must get up an hour early each morning.
must go in a order, always give thanks first before asking for anything.
if in the middle of prayer you find your mind wandering, you are doing something wrong.
Forget all the supposed musts. Find time/times that work for you Pray however you want to, in whatever order. Prayer is a process - eventually, a natural rhythm will evolve. It will feel comfortable and right. Prayer doesn't go in a straight line. There are times when you shoot up prayers of need. There are also times, you might have to pull the car over because you are overcome by prayers of Thanksgiving.
I love middle of the night prayer times. The minute I am awake, I turn to Him and for a few minutes - just bask in who He is. Prayers can be short or not so short and the understanding we came to a long time ago is that falling asleep is a natural way of ending our time together. It truly is a beautiful thing.
I am no prayer expert. What I have learned has been my experience and may not be anyone else's. There is no right or wrong way. Find your own way, don't second guess yourself and stay away from the musts. I use to have a terrible time with prayer, these days - I absolutely love it. Don't give up, realize prayer is a journey not a destination. Breathe Him in and enjoy the Ride...
