When it seems our prayers are unheard or have become mundane, there are ways we can make our prayers more powerful.
photo by glen carrie
Sometimes it may feel like our prayers are hitting the ceiling that seemingly stands between us and God. We know that Heavenly Father desires to hear from us and bless us, so how can we penetrate that ceiling? In her article “What I Have Learned about Mighty Prayer,” Mary Jane Woodger provides six ways we can make our prayers mightier, four of which are highlighted here.
- Live worthy of the Spirit. The Lord is always ready to communicate with us through the Holy Ghost, but if we aren’t worthy of the Holy Ghost, we won’t be ready for the answers the Lord sends.
- Look for blessings Heavenly Father has already given. It’s easy to feel like Heavenly Father isn’t listening to our prayers when we don’t see the blessings immediately. But by recognizing and expressing gratitude for blessings and answers he has already given us, we can see God’s hand in our lives more clearly.
- Pray honestly and persistently. Praying continually for the things we most desire shows Heavenly Father our true commitment.
- Ponder on the specific blessings you seek. By praying specifically for the things we need, as well as submitting to the Lord the things we’ve done to qualify for those blessings, we can be confident he will answer us.
We can break through the “barrier” between us and God—find real answers, experience more powerful prayers, and see God’s hand in our lives more clearly—as we follow these steps for praying mightily.
Read “What I Have Learned about Mighty Prayer” to learn more about how Sister Woodger makes her prayers mighty.
Source: lds.org
—Carli Hanson, Mormon Insights
feature image by meagan knight
Find more insights
Read Elder Richard G. Scott’s talk about understanding answers to our prayers in “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer.”
Watch the Bible Video “Sermon on the Mount: The Lord’s Prayer.”
Read Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin’s talk “Improving Our Prayers.”
I definitely understand feeling like my prayers are hitting the ceiling. It’s easy to look around and wonder how your prayers are being answered. I like the second point, “look for the blessings Heavenly Father has already given.” IT reminded me of something I realized today: that I’m really blessed in so many ways. I just sometimes take those blessings for granted. But when I remember that they are blessings, I feel so much happier about my life and trusting in the Lord’s willingness to bless me.
I’m so grateful I stumbled upon this article! Sometimes, when I feel like my prayers are lacking, I focus on gratitude until I feel the Spirit seep into my prayer. I believe that you get out what you put in. The more heart you pour into a prayer, the more answers you get out of it.