What Would Happen if We Saw Prayer as Doing Life with Jesus?

“What are you doing, honey? It’s time to eat dinner,” I said. She looked up at me and smiled as if that was the first time she had heard me call her. Thinking back, she probably didn’t hear me because she was so wrapped up with Amanda. “I’m watching T.V. with Amanda.” She picked up the phone and said, “Amanda, I’ll be back in a little while. I have to go eat dinner.”

Danna then laid the phone beside her – didn’t end the call – just laid the phone down.

“Why don’t you just call her back after dinner?” I asked. Danna smiled and said, “It’s okay. Her mom just called her to dinner, too. So we will eat together and then finish watching our show. We don’t want to lose our connection.”

It took me a minute, but I got it. Danna knew it would be easy to end her conversation with Amanda and call her back after dinner, but if she didn’t finish the call, it was as if there had been no disconnect. In Danna’s mind, you don’t disconnect a best friend. Wow! A new meaning of prayer began to form in my mind. Prayer is always leaving the line open. Prayer is never disconnecting my life from the life of Christ. Prayer means I am always available to Jesus and Jesus is always available to me.

What if we say our morning prayer as living with Jesus? How different would our days be if we began each day with the mindset that prayer is living with Jesus?

The second function of daily prayer for me is to listen and to set aside time and space to hear from God.

Come, my children, and listen to me. Psalm 34:11

God wants to speak to us, to talk with us, but we have to make time to listen. There are many ways to do this. For example, some guys in my husband’s fireside group start their day by listening to prayer. Then, they take a few minutes to read scripture and listen to God every morning.

One of our pastors at the Restore Park Hill campus does her listening prayer in the afternoon.

She sets the alarm for the middle of her day, and when the alarm goes off, she shuts her office door and sits quietly, asking God to speak.

Sometime during your day, get alone with God and listen to Him.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

Jesus invites me to learn from Him. When I am still before him, I remember that he is God. He is faithful, holy, and merciful.

Every night – right before bedtime – I review what I have learned from Jesus that day. Then, I study the day and relive what I learned.

I ask God Questions like:

I do this right before bed – so that my last thoughts of the day are prayers about what I learned from and heard from Jesus that day. That’s it.

Early Christians often referred to prayer as “practicing the presence of Jesus.” But, of course, the key word here is “practice.’ Please know that what I have talked about today is something I am still learning to do. There are days when I don’t get it right. But there are more days when I practice all three prayers at least three different moments in my day. And it is restoring my soul.

And because this is a practice, it will feel clunky and impossible when you first start. And you will make excuses as to why this may work for others but will never work for you. Then, you will try it and say it doesn’t work, because some days it doesn’t. But I promise you; it is a practice that reveals its benefits over time.

Our nation recently got a reminder of the importance of prayer. When Damar Hamlin, a defensive back for the Buffalo Bills, had a cardiac arrest mid-game. Two images will stay with me forever from this week. The Buffalo Bills gathered around their teammate as he received CPR. Weeping as the paramedics pounded his chest, desperately trying to get a pulse. His teammates were kneeling and praying. I heard sports announcers pray aloud during their broadcasts. Football players from other teams gathered to pray. It was unlike anything I had ever seen.

All 32 prayed for Damar. It seemed like the whole world suddenly stopped and prayed. I believe God not only used this crisis of Damar Hamlin to remind us that we need Jesus, but he also chose Damar and his parents, who are strong Christians, to manage this crisis in such a beautiful way that honored God and turned the eyes of the world to him.

Should we pray in times of emergency? Absolutely! But prayer is so much more than just our 911 line to God. Prayer is living with Jesus, learning from Jesus, and listening to Jesus.

Jesus says, ‘Come to me when you are weary and burdened, and you will find rest for your soul.’

P.S. I pray that you will experience the power of prayer in a new way. I have a suggestion that will help you do that. My husband has written a book, Chair Time, that I believe is one of the best books written on prayer. It is a simple and quick read that will rock your world and change your life. Blessings as you learn to live with the Father.

Mary Southerland is also the Co-founder of Girlfriends in God, a conference and devotion ministry for women. Mary’s books include, Hope in the Midst of Depression, Sandpaper People, Escaping the Stress Trap, Experiencing God’s Power in Your Ministry, 10-Day Trust Adventure, You Make Me So Angry, How to Study the Bible, Fit for Life, Joy for the Journey, and Life Is So Daily. Mary relishes her ministry as a wife, a mother to their two children, Jered and Danna, and Mimi to her six grandchildren – Jaydan, Lelia, Justus, Hudson, Mo, and Nori.

This article is part of our Prayer resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.

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The Lord’s Prayer
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Prayer for Healing
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