One of the most important elements of a prayer life is our perspective on prayer. In general, the perspective we take toward spiritual things often determines the actions that will come out of us. Our actions flow from the source of personal faith and convictions. A healthy faith and perspective will produce healthy and fruitful results. If faith and convictions on spiritual things are shallow or stagnant, then the fruits of our lives and actions will likely follow. Jesus talked about this principle (Matthew 7:16-18).
An important marker of growth and maturity in our relationship with God is how we view prayer. After all, isn’t one of the most necessary parts of any relationship all about communication? In everyday life, you interact with and engage people, whether friends, spouse, children, coworkers. Imagine if all your relationships with significant others amounted to saying just a couple words (or none) to that person per day. What would that relationship look like? Would it be deep? Probably not. So why is it any different with God?
It might sound silly, but one of the foundational principles of having a relationship with God is actually having a relationship with God. Two-way communication. Willing parties. Genuine interest in one another.
But wait, it sounds so neat and easy, and we all know it’s not! There’s a monkey wrench of sorts in the equation: God is a spiritual being. We can’t go bowling with him. Can’t do coffee. Can’t toss football. But nonetheless, we can still build our relationship with him. We can still engage and interact with him. But it is in a spiritual context. That spiritual context is the realm of God.
Before I learned about living the Christian life, my prayer life on a good day consisted of, “Thank you for my food,” or “Thank you for my day today,” and that’s about it. And if I were in some sort of trouble, I would at that time demand God fix it. And I would wonder where God was, and who he was.
The spiritual context of the realm of God is where we have our relationship with him on this side of heaven. God is spirit. So we must engage God in that spiritual context. Prayer is not about having a two-way audible speaking time with God where he speaks back audibly. We speak to him. Nor is it only about asking for things when we are in trouble. What if a friend of yours only spoke to you when he needed to ask you for a favor?
Go out on your own today and engage God. Turn it into your life practice. I’m not talking about turning that 5 second prayer before dinner into 10 seconds. I’m talking about treating your relationship with God like it is something to treasure and develop, because it is. I’m talking about the deeper than “How’s it goin’?” conversation where you tell your Lord and friend all about what is on your heart. Treating your relationship with God as if he is a real person is the key, because he is.
Granted, it is hard, and a bit strange at first, to build a relationship with a spiritual being. Who wants to talk into the air? But Scripture is full of many examples of those who did it well—they relied on God, and knew God, and cherished their time with him—the benefits are endless.
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God…Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV)
It is the equivalent of getting up off the sidelines and getting into the game. When you engage God with confidence and pursue your relationship with him in prayer, on the spiritual level you are drawing near to the throne of grace, where you have access to the Lord of the universe. And guess what? He likes you there. He wants you there. He enjoys your fellowship. Are you ready to break through and take ownership of building your relationship with God through prayer? Are you ready to make a life-changing, lifestyle habit out of meeting the Lord at his throne?
