When I first became a Christian, one of the worst things that confronted me was how do I pray? I would listen to others pray, and would try to imitate the things they said, hoping I was doing it right but it never seemed to be the way they prayed. When ever I was at Bible study, or at lunch with friends, they would invariably ask me to pray, and fear would lead me to say no. The only prayer I knew was, “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take”. I didn’t feel that this was something I should say in Bible study or before eating lunch.
One afternoon while reading the Book of John, I came across the scripture in John 14:26 where Jesus said, “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things”. I began to read more about the Holy Spirit in the scriptures and found in Romans 8:26 that the Spirit also helps our weakness: “For when we do not know how to pray, the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings to deep for words”. What a feeling of relief I felt, when I found this scripture, because I was not failing God, for not knowing how to pray. The Holy Spirit knew where I was in my journey, and began to teach me what I needed to know.
As I grew in my faith I began to understand that prayer is simply talking to God like I would a friend, and if I asked for anything, to ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Today I never say no, because I know that the Holy Spirit is dwelling in me, guiding me, and teaching me every day.