In spite of the emphasis on prayer in the Bible many sincere Christians struggle to develop a regular prayer life and the resulting close relationship with their Creator. One woman in Sri Lanka asked a visiting minister: “I find it hard to pray. I want to seek God, but how can I overcome and find it easier to pray?” Have you ever felt that way, and does the Bible reveal an important key to developing a regular prayer life? 

All the faithful servants of God,  like Joshua, Esther, David, Daniel and Anna for example, enjoyed a close, intimate relationship with God. A common feature of their prayer life was that they regarded prayer, not as a duty but a privilege, and a chance to express their love towards God and their Saviour, Jesus Christ.  

King David does this over and over again in the Psalms (Psalms 18:1, 31:23, 145:20) and Christ instructs us in Matthew 22:37: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Joshua also warned the Israelites: “Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the Lord your God” (Joshua 23:11).

Therefore one key to a powerful prayer life is verbally expressing love and thanks for our blessings toward God. Waking up in the morning thinking of God and telling Him how much we love Him is an exquisite way to start the day. From expressing our love to God, prayer then naturally flows to repentance and asking forgiveness of our sins and seeking God for the wisdom and strength to keep His commandments and show our deep love to Him and others.