Her words took me by surprise. My friend had just complimented my prayer life. Never in my life would I think of myself as a prayer warrior. For years my quiet times consisted of 90% Bible study, and a quick 10% of prayer. Except when facing a huge problem—then I prayed longer.

I used to feel so guilty about my prayer life. My heart was in the right place—I’d offer to pray for people. But then I would walk away and forget. Or I’d tell someone I prayed for them, but then couldn’t remember if I actually had. Too often prayer became my last resort when trying to solve a problem.

I’ve always known prayer is important. But head knowledge doesn’t immediately transfer to the heart. Knowing what to do, and doing it, are two very different things. When I finally grew weary of being weak in this area, I began to make it a priority. 

The Apostle Paul wrote often about our need to be in prayer. One of my favorite Scriptures is this one:

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:18 NIV)

For years I overlooked the call to pray in the Spirit. This phrase could also be translated as “by means of,” “with the help of,” “in the sphere of,” and “in connection to.” In other words, praying in the Spirit means praying with His guidance and assistance. As we follow the Spirit’s lead, our prayers will align with God’s will. 

This verse also reminds us to pray on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests, and for all the Lord’s people. Praying continuously as an ongoing conversation with God is one type of prayer. Another prayer I’ve adopted is that of silence and surrender. When we ask God to meet the needs of ourselves or others, we enter into intercessory prayer.

When I decided to get serious about this type of prayer, I wanted concrete evidence of what I prayed—especially when I promised to pray for people. So I began to write out my prayers. Something interesting happened as a result. 

When I wrote people’s names in my prayer journal, their image popped into my mind. Praying for their specific needs created a special connection to them. They remained in my heart even after I prayed. And I looked forward to checking in with them to see how the prayers had been answered—and to see what I could pray for next. Writing down my prayers takes a little more effort, but it has transformed my prayer life. I feel closer to God and to other people as a result. 

Prayers, like conversations, can take many forms and sizes. Our prayers may not look the same, because we all have different needs. But every prayer carries the same power of connection. If we make a little effort, our prayers will produce great results. 

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of prayer. We are so grateful for the many types of prayer we can use to connect with You and with each other. Help us remember to pray on all occasions and for all of Your people. We ask this in Your name. Amen.