Jael, I usually start praying as soon as I'm awake in the morning.The prayers are usually thankfulness, praise, and an enduring plea for His help to carry me through the day. The prayers from help are a genuine reflection of how incredibly weak and helpless I am before Holy God. Prayers of all kinds, for others around me, prayers to be filled with His Spirit that I may be pleasing to Him for the day. Most (but not all) of the mornings I don't need to deliberately set time to pray, it comes naturally to me as soon as I'm awake. I also pray at the table before meals and randomly throughout the day as I'm carrying out different tasks. In some ways I can say my life is a long prayer in itself.
Consider that while you're dealing with your problems here on earth, the angels in heaven are singing songs with angelic tongues to the Lord, languages we do not understand. While we experience day and night here on earth, it's endless praise and worship of God in the heavens without pause. Let your mind be heavenly minded, right there with the angels who sing to the Lord for all eternity, let your heart be filled with joy and peace at the thought of God's Holy presence. This also helps to understand the verse 2Corinthians 10:5....every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Our thoughts can be confused, unfaithful, carnal, etc. at times. Consider the story of Jonah....he knew what God wanted him to do but ran away from God's plan for his life. The Lord broke Jonah's unwilling spirit (he sent a fish to swallow him) and brought him to repentance and made him willing to preach to Niniveh. Will the Lord not do His will with us too? Patience sister, the captivity of our thoughts to the obedience of Christ is His work. We cannot control the work of His Spirit, but rather He controls us. Philippians 2:12 "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.".......Our sanctification is a mystery to us, we are told to work it out but at the same time we are told God is at work in us to bring it about. Don't even try to understand how exactly that happens, we are told to live by faithful obedience to Him, by faith we should do all things commanded. Stay blessed, it's going to be quite a journey on our way going home to our Father!
I echo what Maria shared. She expressed my thoughts perfectly. I guess shall also say I believe Prayer is our number one weapon in spiritual warfare. Personally I have a lot of struggles in my life. Often times it’s discouragement and depression, that attempts to tear me down with. And what I have learned is that spending time in prayer with God is the key to having Victory in our thought life. I have learned I often have two choices either I can let depression control my life or I can pray to God and find peace. Is praying always easy? I know at times it may feel like a one way conversation, but greatest benefit is not necessarily an answer from the Holy Spirit. I find the greatest benefit of prayer is a safe haven for my mind. When I pray to God, my mind leaves my present circumstances, and rests in the presence of God. It is in Prayer, that I find protection from the attacks of Satan. Prayer is what carries me through. Well God bless you. I hope this helps.
