By Colleen C. Howard
Some days, my mind feels like a whirlwind, life unravels around me, and clarity’s nowhere in sight.
I’m in motion, but going nowhere. Consumed by the chaos and heat of my circumstances.
In these moments, I struggle to connect with God.
But prayer can extinguish the flames of distraction, confusion, and discouragement.
Why Should We Pray?
“Therefore, let us approach the throne of God with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.” – Hebrews 4:16 HCSB
God’s Word tells us to pray. While the Bible reminds us of the importance of prayer, we may struggle to do so.
Maybe because we can’t physically see God. Or wonder why we should repeat ourselves since He already knows everything.
But God wants to hear from us and meet with us.
Turning to the Lord in prayer is an act of loving obedience to His Word.
Even Jesus modeled the importance of prayer. He prayed to show us how verbal communication with our heavenly Father is powerful.
Prayer is also a time to praise God, repent, and ask forgiveness. When we surrender to God in prayer, He can download divine guidance to our hearts and minds.
What is Prayer?
“Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy.” – Matthew 6:9 HCSB
We can connect with the Lord through prayer. Let’s unpack four aspects of prayer to better understand it.
1 – Prayer is soul-baring (Ps 55:22).
Prayer is telling the truth and listening for His voice.
It doesn’t matter if we’ve never prayed or how long it’s been since we last prayed. Jesus is ready to pick up right where we left off.
Our heartfelt words are always good enough for God.
2 – Prayer is gratitude and worship (Ps 96:1–3).
We can share our burdens, fears, and joys with the Holy One.
Prayer is a profound and personal connection between us and Jesus, and the result of experiencing a relationship with the Savior of our souls.
3 – Prayer is a personal conversation (Jn 15:4–5).
Prayer requires no prerequisites or appointment. Walk-ins are always welcome.
We can dial up Jesus quicker than we can reach for our cell phone. We can contact God without worrying that we’ll wake Him up, or that our message might never be seen.
He receives our calls, and His voicemail is never full.
Jesus wants us to tell Him everything because we’re precious in His sight.
4 – Prayer allows us to experience Jesus (Rom 15:13).
When we pray, our relationship with Jesus deepens.
Sharing our heart with Jesus shows Him we’re willing to humble ourselves and be transparent.
Getting to know Jesus takes time and requires effort. This level of knowledge expands over time.
A Pattern for Prayer in Difficult Times
The Bible is filled with Scripture reminding us of the importance of prayer.
However, when the fires of life surround us, we sometimes forget to pray or save prayer as a last resort.
When I was in elementary school, firefighters visited classrooms to give fire safety talks. The number one safety tip is a short but powerful phrase: Stop, drop, and roll.
When life feels difficult, we can apply the firefighters’ simple slogan to our prayer lives.
We can follow these three steps to avoid being burned by life’s circumstances and live triumphantly.
1 – STOP and listen for God’s voice.
Consistently pause throughout the day and breathe deeply. Make time to be silent before God, creating space to listen for His guidance, correction, and insights.
Declare with confidence, “Jesus, your grip on me is strong. I know you won’t let go. Guide me toward the next right thing to do.”
Be still and sit in the moment.
The Savior can bring rest to our souls and peace to clear out the noise of the day.
2 – DROP everything and share your heart with Jesus.
When we surrender our hearts to Jesus, we can see His character.
Jesus invites all who are fatigued and anxious to rush into His arms.
We can call on the Son of God any day, any time, and from anywhere.
3 – ROLL away doubt, fear, and anxiety.
The King of Kings, who gave everything for our salvation, is always ready to listen. Through prayer and our relationship with Him, we can roll away doubt, fear, and anxiety.
God can restore our hearts, give us peace, and renew our spirits.
In His presence, we find strength to overcome and embrace hope.
Offer Prayers to the Lord
“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”- Philippians 4:6 HCSB
When we apply stop, drop, and roll to our everyday prayer lives, God can grant us a new perspective. We can be still in the presence of the Savior, share our hearts with Jesus, and watch the Lord roll away fear and doubt.
God cradles our hearts in His hands. We’re invaluable in the eyes of the Lord.
Let’s set aside time for God, embrace humility, and practice transparency. When the firestorms of life surround us, let’s remember to pause, let go of distractions, and seek relief through daily prayer.
Surrender to the Savior and watch what only He can do.
Colleen C. Howard
Colleen C. Howard is a Jesus follower, educator, and writer. She lives with her husband in the beautiful Arizona desert where the sunsets are spectacular and the winters are a little slice of Heaven. God placed a strong desire in Colleen’s heart to shine a light on God’s presence throughout ordinary days and encourage women to grow in their faith walk.
