Do You Have A Hard Time Praying? Pray Scripture!

I don't know about you, but I find prayer to be difficult.
I'm not talking about the random emergency prayers we often shoot up to God like text messages....please help me pass this test....let me get a date with this attractive person...help my Aunt that has cancer. While God does care about the little details and emergencies in our lives, it is also important to spend focused time in prayer with God, not to give him our latest wishlist, but rather to cultivate intimacy with our Heavenly Father.

But in our fast paced, technology-saturated lives, not only can it be difficult to set aside focused prayer time, but even when we do make the effort, it can be a challenge to stay focused. One strategy that can help us with our spiritual A.D.D. is praying scripture. Try it out sometime! You might be surprised how encouraging it can be to disect scripture and personalize it in prayer.

In the past week we have been reading 1rst and 2nd Peter. While sitting in the laundry mat today and struggling to pray I decided to pray scripture, and used 1 Peter 1:1-9. Here is how the text translated into prayer for me:

Heavenly Father,

Why should I be numbered among the elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, not to mention the elect exiles of all the centuries since (those citizens of the City of God that have gone before us as "sojourners and exiles" on this earth--1 Peter 2:11) ? The only possible answer is your grace and mercy. The idea that you knew me long before I was ever born, and that you set me apart for salvation (through Christ's blood) and obedience is utterly mind-boggling...and oh, how often I fail to be obedient! I am so prone to taking this great gift of salvation for granted!

As Peter prayed for the elect exiles of the dispersion, I pray for a multiplication of grace and peace in my life. Oh, for a greater realization of your grace and the peace which "surpasses all understanding" (Phillipians 4:7)!

I bless you, oh God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ! For according to your great mercy you (not my good efforts) have caused me to be born again to a living hope through the resurrenction of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for me, who by God's power am being guarded through faith for salvation...

Because of this glorious work of redemption in my life, I rejoice--even in the midst of hard times! For I know that even the struggles of life and the fight against sin are refining and strengthening my faith (1 Peter 1:7; James 1:2-4). I pray that you would help me to trust you in each and every situation in my life.

Though I do not see you, I love you! I believe in you, and rejoice over this "glorious gospel" (1 Timothy 1:11), through which the salvation of rebellious souls like mine is accomplished.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen.