How Can You Pray to God More Personally?

In the first lesson of the new semester of Pathway, I was listening to a video from the "Digging Deeper" section of the curriculum. The video was entitled, "Making Prayer Substantial". The video focused on the story of the prayers of the Zoramites and the prayer of Alma in the Book of Mormon.

When Alma and some other missionaries went to preach the word of God to the Zoramites, they learned how they were worshiping in their churches. One by one the Zoramites would stand on the Rameumptom, a platform that had been built in the center of the church, and recite one prayer. In their prayer, they offer up no heartfelt feelings, they never ask anything of God, and they denounce the existence of a Christ. They also gave thanks for being His favorite people. After the Zoramites prayed, they would not pray of speak of God for a week.

Seeing the manner in which the Zoramites prayed, Alma offered up a prayer to God for him and his missionaries to have strength and success in converting these people. He prayed that the Zoramites would return the the truth and gain a testimony of Jesus Christ.

After reading about the prayers of Alma, and the Zoramites, it got me to thinking. How often do we go through our day reciting the same old prayer, if we pray at all? We all can fall into the category of spouting out an almost robotic prayer.

When we pray to our Father in Heaven, we should want to do it with enthusiasm. He is our Creator. Would we speak in a dreadful monotone voice to our own parents, or friends, repeating the same thing over and over again when we talk to them? Then why do we do this with God?

I have made it a point to thank Heavenly Father for not only the blessings in my life, but also for the trials that help to make me stronger. I find peace in being able to tell the joys and troubles of my heart to my Father in Heaven. I treat it as a conversation. I make know my troubles and ask for the strength to endure what has been placed before me. I also make it a point to pray for others whom I know may be dealing with difficulties.

In closing I would ask you to ask yourself a question. How can you pray to God more personally?