Prayer | When Prayer Feels Like a Bore or a Chore: A Prayer Series for Non-Prayers - Part 2

Send us Fan MailWHEN PRAYER FEELS LIKE A BORE OR A CHOREA Prayer Series for Non-Prayers - Part 2Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith StewartOctober 16, 2022Richard Foster once said, “…real prayer comes not from gritting our teeth but from falling in love.” Prayer becomes a bore or a chore when we lose sight of what prayer is and turn it into something it’s not. Let's examine all the distortions that have crept into our understanding of prayer so that we can be set free to enjoy and even relish our time in prayer. SERIES: A Prayer Series for Non-PrayersFor some people, prayer is just not their thing. They don’t understand it or enjoy doing it. Instead, more often than not, they feel guilty for not wanting to pray. They suffer in silence keeping their questions and frustrations about prayer to themselves. If you’re one of the many who has struggled with unanswered prayer, are easily bored or frustrated while praying, or never seem to hear a message from God, then this series is for you. In it, we’re going to address some of the most common difficulties with prayer and encourage new ways of revitalizing this powerful connection with God.---DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.) In the first half of the message, Pastor Keith talked about multiple things that tend to reduce prayer to something boring or laborious.Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 as to whether this is a problem in your life - 1 (never an issue) - 10 (almost always an issue). If you don't have an issue, offer your insights.We can be too busy – an overcrowded schedule has a way of turning prayer into just another item on your to-do list. As a result, it often gets pushed aside in the name of needing to get other things done. We can be too restless – with an overabundance of entertainment, amusements, and distractions, society has not only grown accustomed to a myriad of offerings like this but has also indulged in them frequently. Prayer being a more silent and reflective time allows these other issues to bubble up to the surface. This can be one of the reasons we avoid prayer. If you don’t relate or have issues with being too busy or too restless, were any of the other points Pastor Keith mentioned areas where you have vulnerabilities, like being too one-dimensional, too cognitive, too phony, or too wounded? Share with the group where you have struggled whether in the past or present.2.) Prayer is primarily not about asking and receiving. Prayer is primarily meant to build our relationship with God – Him getting more of us and us getting more of Him. It’s not that asking and receiving are not part of prayer but so many treat it as the only thing there is to prayer when it’s not even the primary reason we pray. How does this shift your thinking? Your approach? What do you pray about? How does one deepen their connection to God in prayer?3.) Simple praying is the most common type of praying in the Bible. Share with the group some of the single-sentence or single-thought prayers you know that are found in the Bible.4.) Praying what’s in us not what ought to be in us is some of the most practical and Biblical advice one can ever receive regarding prayer. We need to bring our authentic selves to God knowing that we are accepted as we are. Has there ever been a time when you prayed a very authentic, maybe even messy prayer? What were you dealing with or going through? What happened as a result of that prayer?5.) Take some time to read through some of the Psalms in a more modern translation like The Message which uses language you’re more accustomed to. How would you turn the Psalm you’re reading into a prayer from your heart? Do this as a group or sometime later in the week.https://www.springcreekchurch.org/#realspringcreekchurch #prayer #pray #answers #love #bore #chore