Episode 60 - Simple Prayer

Welcome back to another season of Looking Above.  We desire each episode to encourage you to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus no matter what life throws at you. This season we are tackling the topic of prayer.  What is it? How do we do it? Why should we pray? Each week we will talk about a different type of prayer.

In this episode, Brooklyn and Karen talk about some of their experiences with prayer and then discuss “simple prayer.” Many of us have never thought about or discussed different types of prayer.  We just pray. Join us as we learn how we can deepen our prayer lives as we gain a greater understanding of prayer.

If you want to go deeper still, we encourage you to find a small group of friends and have a discussion after listening to this episode. Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

1. Can you remember the first time you prayed? (or the first time you prayed out loud?) Share that experience.
2. What is your history with prayer? What have you been taught about prayer?
3. Do you have any big prayers you have prayed that come to mind? Were they answered as you desired? Were they answered in the timeframe you desired?
4. How do you feel when God “doesn’t” answer a prayer, or doesn’t answer as you expected? What do you tell yourself about that experience (for example “Maybe I didn’t pray right.” )
5. Why don’t you pray (or don’t you pray more often)? What does that reason reveal?
6. When you do pray, what do you pray for?
7. Do you pray “simple” prayers? Are you authentic with God, or do you feel the need to tone down, filter, and sterilize your prayers? 
8. In simple prayer “we” are the focus.  We pray for ourselves and about ourselves. We bring our needs, wants, concerns, hurts, sorrows, joys, complaints, anger, raw emotion, and unfiltered words to God.  What about that feels scary?  What about that feels freeing?
9. Read Psalm chapter 6.  We see the Psalmist being quite authentic with God in this Psalm. What feelings does he express? What does he ask God to do for him?
10. What do you need most from God right now? 
11. Take turns praying for yourself. Pray a simple prayer. Don’t make it pretty. Just be honest.  Tell God where you’re at and ask Him for what you need from Him.
12. Practice simple prayer this week. Have short conversations with God throughout your day.  Tell him your feelings. Ask Him for what you need.  Work to start building a habit of talking to God like you would your best friend.