Seven Spiritual Secrets

Seven Spiritual Secrets You Need to Know

Here's how to Sharpen Your Prayer Life by Linda Evans Shepherd

"Stop! You can't pray that!" a young woman ordered me.

She had just expressed her extreme fear of snakes as we walked through a wooded area, and I had responded by bowing my head and praying, "Dear Lord, please protect us from snakes. May they not harm us, bite us or be seen by us. I pray this in the name of Jesus."

After being shushed by Ellie's command, I turned to her. "Stop my prayer? Why?"

"God is too busy for such an unimportant thing."

My jaw fell open. "You think God wants snakes to bite us?"

"What I mean is, it's not His will for us to pray about such small things."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

Ellie couldn't answer, because my friend believed a myth: God can't be bothered and will even refuse to answer us if we ask for small things.

Our experience with God should be so very different from Ellie's. Our prayer life should be personal, precious and often.

God wants us to enjoy a personal relationship with Him. The God of the universe stands outside of time, longing for us to include Him in even the inconsequential moments and needs of life.

Although He's God of the whole universe, He's also a loving God who has the time and desire to make time for us at the point of our need.

That is amazing but it should not be because we should be in such constant communion with Him that His presence and power are very familiar in our lives. The concept of His presence with us when we need Him is in line with Scripture.

His Holy Word tells us, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God" (Philippians 4:6).

If you want to sharpen your prayer life, here are seven secrets that will be very helpful to you:

1. God wants you to enjoy a personal relationship with Him.

2. Approach God on the small matters.

3. God loves you and has time to listen to you.

4. God will answer in His time and in His way.

5. The more you bring the little things to God, the more you will build your relationship with Him.

6. As God answers your prayers about the little things, the more you will understand that He really does care for you.

7. The more you practice prayers about small things, the more faith you will have to pray about the big things.

Dear Lord, Teach me how to bring You the small things in my life, so that I can enjoy a deeper relationship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen.