In order to know why we pray, it is important to understand what prayer is. Prayer is an act of communicating with our higher power. Many people have a lot of different names for this higher power—Yahweh, Allah, Abba, and so on. I refer to this higher power by many different names as well: God, Lord, Creator, Father, or Gitche Manitou (Great Spirit). When I pray, I first give thanks to God and praise Him for all His blessings. Then I ask for His help and for strength with whatever is troubling me. I tell Him my deepest thoughts and feelings with an honest heart. Usually, I ask God to forgive me for my sins at the end. All of this prayer is done with sincere intention. A prime model for prayer is found in Philippians 4:4-7: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
When I pray, I feel the presence of the Creator. I am reassured that Jesus is holding my hands, and the Holy Spirit fills me with that familiar sense of peace and comfort. If I live my life as a follower of Christ in a relationship with Creator, I should communicate with Him regularly. That line of communication is open to everyone at all times. What a blessed gift!
The traditional ways that I pray are also very similar, but there is a process. In the morning, I go outside, face the east as the sun comes up, and give thanks as I lay tobacco down. When I smudge in the morning, I wash myself with its beautiful smoke to cleanse myself. I put smoke on my head, ears, and eyes, then my mouth and my heart, and then all over me. The minute I light the smudge, I am filled with the feeling of calmness and reassurance. I smudge to think good thoughts, to see, hear, and speak only good things, and to act only from the heart.
In our traditional ways, we are taught not to be selfish in prayer and only think of our own troubles. We give thanks for all our ancestors who went before us, and then we give thanks for the day. Then I pray for those who are hurting and suffering, including myself. When I pray, I usually bow my head and close my eyes—as a sign of respect—and speak out to God. But prayer can look and sound different in many ways for many people. To anyone just starting to pray, don’t worry too much about what to say or what your posture is. But however you pray, “continue steadfastly” (Colossians 4:2) with thanksgiving.
Now when I pray at church, it’s different. Before COVID, we used to hold hands for the Lord’s Prayer, and it brought a good, loving energy to all of us, I think. The Peace of Christ was also a moving time for me. I always received a warm smile and a firm handshake or a nice hug. When it’s time for the prayers of the people, I quietly bow my head and close my eyes, just as I do in my morning prayer, but this time in community. Our personal prayers foster an intimate relationship with God, while communal prayers build up the spiritual community. They reinforce faith through shared experience, and they have the added benefit of collective strength and mutual support. I still feel the Holy Spirit and Jesus all around me, but in a different way. “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20).
Whether it’s by myself or it’s in church, prayer is something that helps me in so many ways. One of my favourite prayers to say is the rosary because I am chanting, building a bridge to the Holy Mary, Mother of God. She knows what pain is as a mother. Sometimes I cry because of the pain that I feel for my daughter. But before I am halfway through, I start to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, and reassurance and peace wash over me. I know no matter what I face in life, I am not alone. I know Creator is listening to me and that He knows my heart. He doesn’t answer our prayers on our time or exactly the way we want, but He does answer them. If you pray for His will to be done, your prayers will be answered, and you will be blessed. I can bear witness to this. The Lord has given me strength, wisdom, and peace. I must be at peace in order to do God’s work. It truly is a peace that surpasses all understanding.
A broken person will isolate from loved ones and rely solely on their own will. I know this as I have been broken many times in my life. I used to carry my own storms inside me and never get true rest. It can be exhausting both mentally and physically. Frustration became my closest companion, and I felt the weight of it all. It was too much to carry. The overthinking was awful. It can feel as though you are drowning. Where were comfort and peace? I had to go back to building my relationship with God, our Creator. He is the only one who can take all my burdens away.
I have dropped to my knees more than once, and every time I am filled with humility that I did God’s will, not mine. I give Him everything now. And I let Creator see and hear me cry. He knows the love I have for my girl and the pain and anxiety I feel. To anyone starting to pray, I say, “Please do so.” Our loving God and Lord and Saviour is waiting. You can keep it simple if you want. “God help me,” or “Please guide me; help me be the person you want me to be.” Thank Him for what you already have. Seek peace. Always pray in faith and trust in the Lord—He is listening. I pray quite a lot and talk to Creator all day long, and He continues to guide me. I set my alarm for 5:00 a.m., so I don’t usually miss my morning prayer. I have alarms so that my phone reminds me to do my Bible reading and prayer. I give thanks at every meal, and I pray at night. Sometimes I have missed my prayers and failed to do God’s will, but I know I’m forgiven, because we have such a loving and forgiving God. For me, without prayer, I would be lost and carry all my weight alone. I am blessed that I don’t. Praying is one of the most powerful things I know.
