By the way, what I’m going to propose can be used to change one’s thinking and habits on a range of issues, not just prayer.
First, spend time in the Word, looking at passages/verses like the ones recommended in the first article. These could include passages extolling God’s character, modeling prayer, commanding prayer, and promising answer to prayer. Many of the Psalms are themselves prayers and have much to teach us about it.
For simplicity, we’ll use just one verse as an example, Psalm 119:10: With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
This verse has a context, so I want to be familiar with it to some extent. Psalm 119 is the longest in the Bible…maybe I don’t have time to read the whole thing. Perhaps I read the opening of the chapter up to this point, just to get a feel for how the author arrives at this verse.
Then I might slowly read this verse numerous times, thinking deeply about it. Not everyone is like me, but I find it helpful to write down insights as I think. It’s not crucial to wring the verse out right away because I’m going to be using it for the rest of the day. Initially, I might just note that the first half of the verse is a pledge to seek God Himself wholeheartedly; the second half is a prayer for God’s help in the quest to walk in obedience. Those are two things I can pray right away.
Having read the context, read the verse itself several times, noted a few insights, and prayed in light of the verse, I should be relatively well prepared to remember at least the idea of that verse later in the day.
Second, understand that meditation, or “muttering”—your habitual, intentional speaking of the truth to yourself—has only just begun for the day. For many years, I relegated biblical meditation to a few minutes during my devotional time, if at all. That simply may not be sufficient to overcome all the influences vying for a shot at shaping my thinking every waking hour.
Our initial time in the Word each day could thought of as cooking a meal that we’re going to be grazing on all day. If we’re committed to the kind of daily “muttering” prescribed by Joshua 1:8-9 and Psalm 1:2, we might use even just one verse as the foundational truth to feed ourselves for the day. This can work whether we typically spend time with the Lord in the morning, afternoon, or evening. We’re preparing to meditate for the next 24 hours.
Third, during “free time” moments of the day, keep an eye out for the impulse to fill those moments to the brim with podcasts, radio shows, reels, videos, etc. When I began to pay attention to these impulses, I was amazed by two things: (1) how many free moments I actually had during the day; and (2) how strong the pull was to absolutely fill that time with stuff on my phone.
While for the most part, these ways of spending our time are not inherently sinful, we would do well to consider two things. First, how much of our free time these things are filling? Second, how many of these very activities are directing what we think about? I found that much of the time when I was free to think about whatever I wanted, I was putting Facebook, Youtube, or Google in the driver’s seat. No wonder I found it difficult to pray at times!
Fourth, claim at least some of those free moments to continue that biblical conversation you started with yourself earlier in the day. Bring to mind again the verse itself: With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! How have the events of the day added significance to that verse? Have I had opportunities to seek the Lord for which I can thank Him? Is there something coming up on my schedule in the next hour that represents a way for me to seek Him and His help, wisdom, patience, joy, etc? Have I wandered from His commandments so that I need to seek forgiveness and turn my thoughts toward the gospel? Or by His grace, have I overcome temptation? Continue the conversation with yourself, holding Psalm 119:10 at the center.
Fifth, pray! At each opportunity to consider that verse, seeing ways to pray, reasons to pray, calls to pray…do exactly that. This is a crucially important step in changing the mind and practice because it links new ways of thinking with new ways of doing. And this is exactly what we want. We don’t only want to think rightly about prayer. We want to grow in prayer itself.
Hopefully, you find this helpful. May the Lord use His Word, not just during our devotional times, but throughout the day to prompt us to think His thoughts after Him…and to pray in response.
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