Struggling with Prayer

I have shared here that I am in prayer school.  The Lord has had me there since last fall.  I am not sure that I am making much progress.  It seems that I am a slow learner.

One of the things that has been brought to the forefront of my prayer is the need to adore Him (if you have ever used ACTS to pray you know that that A means Adore).  While I have known that, taught that, for years, it is just now becoming for me a deep conviction.  I am becoming more focused and intentional in adoration or worship of God first in my prayer.  I am working at trying to do what David did in Psalm 27:8, seek God’s face.  One tiny problem.  I have less than zero understanding of what that means.

So I flail away.  I know that I am supposed to pray for His glory, His will, in His name which is somewhat synonymous with His way, His nature and character, but I struggle with knowing how.

Then I get help from the Scripture – now I am not claiming that I have this figured out, I just have help and in that help, hope.  Look at Exodus 33:12 – 15.  Note that here Moses is asking God for help to know His ways, His character and nature.  Moses commits not to move until God shows up.  In Mark 9:24 I got some more help.  There the father asks Christ to help him in his unbelief.  I can do all three of those.

Lastly this morning in Proverbs 15:8 – 9, I read that He loves those who pursue righteousness and delights in their prayer.  That encouraged me no end.

So I am learning:

• To ask God to teach me who He is
• To help my unbelief, help me to worship Him correctly
• Wait for that help
• And that He loves and delights for me to approach Him in that way

It is encouraging.  I still am not very good at it.  But the other great promise that gives me hope is Romans 8:26 – 27.  Even though I stumble through my prayer, the Spirit interprets my fumbling prayer and the great thing is God already knows what I need, Matthew 6:8, anyway.