How do you pray effectively?

[Susieee]

In one of the other threads on this site, someone recommended reading the chapter on Prayer in Science and Health. I LOVE that chapter. :) Anyone have any examples of how that chapter has helped them pray more effectively?

[OldBoots]

Here's just one of many ways: I've found that, particularly in situations where you're feeling rattled or scared, just focusing on the three things mentioned in the first sentence is a great way to keep praying simple: "an absolute faith that all things are possible to God, -- a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love." That can really quiet down your racing thoughts and lead to some good deep thinking about God and your relationship to Him.

I also kind of ask myself if I'm actually DOING those three things and that generally leads immediately to a few ideas about how I could improve my thinking and actions right away. Keeping it simple like that also takes the edge off of fear or anxiety.

[jacob's well]

I have found it of great help to just focus on God being God...meaning that problems arise from a sense of alienation from God, or that He/She isn't compotent to meet the need, or unwilling to do so. Focusing on God being God - being all good, all love - means glimpsing that, hey, He/She can do something about this and will do something about it...whatever the "this" might be, small and personal or vast and international. That helps quiet my anxieties and, I have found, helps actually solve problems, often in surprising ways. Happy praying, everyone...!

[livinglightly]

I love the sentence, "What we most need is the prayer of fervent desire for growth in grace, expressed in patience, meekness, love, and good deeds."

It always puts my prayers in perspective, no matter what the occasion. It may seem that that we need healing, money, better health - but this sentence goes right in line with Jesus words "seek ye first the kingdom of God and his rightousness, and all these things will be added unto you."

[Kate]

it made me question my motives for praying, and scientifically explained why prayer works or doesn't work using different methods or starting points.. a sincere prayer works whereas one which may look fantastic by lots of words said out loud won't work if the motive is not to bless.. I love this. God is just and will take up any sincere case!

[Laurie]

Sometimes when I'm really upset with something somebody has done, I find it hard to really pray. So I have a trick that I use to get my own mind on the right track. I repeat the Lord's prayer but I insert the other person's name wherever this is an "I" or "us" or "we". So part of it might sound like this...

"and forgive Joe his debts as Joe forgives his debtors...And lead Joe not into temptation but deliver Joe from evil...."

I'm not saying that this is a prayer (well, maybe it is) but it is a way that I get my own mind sorted out in viewing this other person "Joe" as a child of God. And once my own mind is on the right track, then good things start happening!

[NYCtown]

Well, you can't go wrong with the Lord's Prayer! It's an incredibly effective way to pray. And whenever we can see spiritual qualities in another, it's a good thing.

I have to say, though, that when I think about the healings I've had that have been decisive and quick, it's always been when I turn completely to God and learn something new about Him/Her. And that in turn teaches me something new about God's man--all men, women, and children--since spiritual man is made in God's likeness as the Bible says.

[Benoit]

I always start as written in S&H page 275 affirming that God is all, created all, is the only law. I try to feel that I am not separated from God at any time, that there is only one Mind, which controls everything, to put myself out of the way and let God reflect Himself in His creation. I will use the Scientific Statement of Being as a help to affirm all this and of course expel any thoughts of anger, fear, frustration etc out of my own consciousness till I feel that I am at peace and God is taking over...

[butterfly]

Yes, I love that chapter too! It made me realise that prayer isn't ASKING God for anything - it's actually affirming what God already is. That when we pray, we don't start with a problem and ask God to fix it - we start from the solution - which is God and God's everpresence and reason out from that basis - it's a radical approach and one that I've found to be VERY effective and very healing! I think that whole chapter is quite radical and incredibly practical, I love it. Thanks for reminding me of it - I just flipped through and realised it's got so many gems in there I'll have to go and dig some more!:p

[UserX]

The last two posts are good reminders of prayer as not asking God FOR anything, but rather, LISTENING. When I was praying one morning with a whole bunch of things on my mind, it occurred to me that I had fallen into basically handing God MY to-do list every day, like he was an assistant or something. I realized that what I should really be doing was listening for GOD'S "to-do list." God is the one who creates and sustains, and is the source of all good. We are not the source, with God helping out when we need him. This focus helped me to let go of a need to manipulate or push things in a direction I think they should go and instead, take actions that are in accord with an understanding of God.

[jamshep]

To me, prayer is a feeling. Sometimes words bring me to this feeling. But its the feeling that is important.
There seem to be two situations to me when i find myself praying. One is on the run when something happens, like a reaction to something. The other is when i'm in a quiet place. Either way, i like to take a moment, look around and realize that all there is around me is the law of God's goodness. Everything around me actually exists only as a spiritual idea--no matter how material it looks. Everything I see is actually evidencing the goodness of the Divine!
I like to try to start my morning with this feeling--and take it around with me for as long as I can. And when i notice its not there, when I'm awake to this, I can take a bit of time to get back there.

[sparrowflies]

For me, a prayer isn't so much what I say but what I hear. I get really quiet and listen for what God wants me to know. Sometimes what I "hear" may be words or it may be a mental picture of something like a rose or mountain that gives me an idea of a symbol of a thought or sometimes it is an idea to look up something in the Bible or Mrs. Eddy's writings and sometimes its the memory of another time when God answered prayer. So I always begin with listening for Gods voice.