Prayer – Day 5

Most religions have formal prayers and guidelines for praying. These include confession of wrongdoing, asking for forgiveness, expressing gratitude for help and gifts received, asking for guidance, asking for blessings on people we love or are trying to love, and praise.

Some people like to pray in the shower, others on their knees by their bed. Some like to pray in a group. People may bow their heads, or clasp their hands, or close their eyes. Some even consider thought a form of prayer.

We can talk out loud or silently think a prayer. We can even write letters in a God journal. Some people say long prayers in the morning. Others combine that with short little messages throughout the day to God.

How do you like to pray? What works for you?

Action: Here’s a recovery prayer based on Alcoholics Anonymous, the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: “Thank you for keeping me straight yesterday. Please help me stay straight today. For the next twenty-four hours, I pray for knowledge of your will for me only and the power to carry that through. I pray that you might free my thinking of self-will, self-seeking, and wrong motives.

I pray that in times of doubt and indecision, you might send your inspiration and guidance. I pray that you might send me the right thought, word, or action, and that you show me what my next step should be.” You can pray for whatever you want, but asking to be shown God’s Will and to be given the power to carry that through is usually a good bet.

From the book: 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact

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