Praying Out Loud

“Can you please lead the prayer?” 

As a Christian we’re often ask to pray. When I was newly baptized I turned down some opportunity to pray, yes I said “No”, shame on me. I said no because I was so shy, I am a nervous wreck, and I don’t feel adequate or spiritual enough to pray. I feel it hard to pray out loud. 

Why is it so hard to pray out loud? Was it because of the audience? 

We may be afraid of speaking in front of people.  A survey discovered that people’s number one fear is public speaking—ahead of the fear of death! Add the fact that we do not want to say something senseless.

I guess simply because it’s Out. Loud. There are people present. They’re listening, and they all seem to know exactly what to say to God. They know how to pray, they don’t stumble over their words, and they seem to find a way to come up with a beginning, middle, and end on the spot. We may have heard somebody pray in such an amazing way that we thought—I could never ever do that! To put it short we’re more intimidated than embarrassed.

     If you are frightened of praying aloud, it’s OK! Many people are. Count me in. Even I sometimes lost for words. Praying out loud is being vulnerable and pouring your heart out and it is open for all to see and hear but - praying is laying your heart out to God.

Here are some tips that could help us, yes US, because even I practice this tips, because like you I am not yet good in praying out loud. 

1. Remember you are talking to our heavenly Father, not the people around you. Prayer is a conversation between you and God. He is always pleased with your prayers.

2. If you have a moment, pause before you pray out loud and then pray (in your head) and ask God to lead you in the prayer.

3. Prepare by praying out loud when you are alone. It won’t seem so awkward later when you do it in front of others.

4. Jot down a few thoughts, ideas, or specific requests on a piece of paper and use it as a focal point to guide your prayer. I have a personal prayer notebook because I know I am better in writing out my feelings than saying it into words.

5. Pray with one or two friends or family members.

6. Keep it simple and short. I’m not saying that long prayer is not a good idea, but you’ll get there. Also we can never forget one of the most popular examples of a short prayer, spoken by the thief on the cross that caught our Lord’s attention. He simply said,

“Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42, NIV).

7. Be yourself. Talk like you talk. Share what is on your heart. Simply Be You.

8. Do it again and again and again. Being an expert takes time, not talent and practice helps us grow.

9. Volunteer to pray, don’t wait to be asked and caught unprepared. Go first—dive in!

10. If you are feeling very nervous or emotional while praying, it’s OK to acknowledge that you can’t put your thoughts into words.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groaning’s. (Romans 8:26)

God wants to use you in prayer with others. There is power when we pray out loud. People are encouraged and lifted when they hear our prayers. God longs to hear His children pray.

I wish you fantastic success and growth. Getting closer to God, our Heavenly Father, is a lifelong process, in fact, it's an eternal process. Therefore this is not a sprint, it's a marathon. The rewards, like in any worthwhile endeavor, far, far outweigh any effort that is required.

Standing up by kneeling down,

Analou

What other tips would you offer?