What brings me closer to God?

 I am in a fairly serious study of prayer and how we each call upon our God for help, comfort, aid, and thanks. I have had a moderately hard week this week, so I needed this. This post is for anyone like me, struggling too much, need help, or perhaps not. This is for you.

Overview

Each of us is a child of God. He loves us and is all-knowing. Though there is this, He also would like for us to communicate them through prayer. We should pray to Him, and only Him. His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ commanded, 

"Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name." (3 Nephi 18: 19) 

As this habit of approaching God in prayer is made, we will come to know Him more personally and draw nearer unto Him. Our desires will even become more like His. We will be able to make secure for ourselves other blessings that He will be ready to give, we need only ask in faith.

Principles of Prayer

Our God is always ready to answer the desires of our prayers. The power of them though depends on us. As we strive to make daily prayer a part, or habit, is each of our lives, we should each remember this counsel:

Add meaning to prayer. Only you can do this. In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Mormon warned that if anyone "shall pray and not with real intent of the heart...it shall profiteth him nothing for God receiveth none such" (Moroni 7: 9).

To make our prayers have more meaning, we must pray with fair sincerity and "with all the energy of heart" (Moroni 7: 48).

We must take care, and not hold any "vair repetitions" while in the midst of prayer (see Matthew 6:7).

We should use language that shows love, closeness, respect, and reverence. The duty of this principle will vary, according to which language you may apply to (or to with it...) Let me illustrate, if we pray in English (my language), we should use the pronouns of the scripture whenever we address God--Thee, Thine, Thou, and Thy, rather than the more commonly heard pronouns of you, yours, and your (are you with me still?). No matter if you speak a different language than I do, the principle remains the same: When praying, one should use the words that appropriately convey a loving, worshipful relation with our Father in Heaven.

No matter how many wants, desires, or even needs come to one's heart while the converse with God, one should always give thanks to God. We should

"live is thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which we doth bestow upon (us)" (Alma 34: 38).

As we each take the time to remember all the blessings which God has bestowed upon us, we will recognize that it really is two-fold (or three-fold, or what have you). No matter what, we should express our thanks for that to Him.

Seek God's guidance and strength in all that we do. Just like Alma counseled to his son, Helaman on day:

"Cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thought be directed unto the Lord; yea, let all the affections be placed upon the Lord forever. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things ye shall be lifted up at the last day" (Alma 37: 36-37; see also Alma 34: 17-26).

Don't pray selfishly. Remember the care and mercy on others while you pray too. All should offer their prayers

"for (our) welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around (us)" (Alma 34: 27).

We should ask for Heavenly Father's love and comfort to come to others in need, not solely our own burdens. 

Seek the guidance of the Spirit so that you may know precisely who to include in each of your prayers. The Holy Ghost is able to teach us to pray and guide in the things that we say alone (see Romans 8: 26, 2 Nephi 32: 8, 3 Nephi 19: 9, 24). He can aid us in praying

"according to the will of God" (Doctrine&Covenants 46: 30).

When a request is made through the holy order of prayer, that is not all that is needed. You must do all that you can to assist in it being granted. God expects more from all beside a humble question. When we each have an important decision to make, He often requires that we "study it out in our mind" before He gives us an answer (see Doctrine&Covenants 9: 7-8). Our personal prayers for that guidance will only be effective as far as our efforts to be receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. Our prayers for our own personal welfare plus the welfare of others will be in vain if we

"turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need." (Alma 34: 28).

If a difficult task is before us, our God and Heavenly Father is pleased when we fall to our knees and ask for help before getting up on our feet to work. He will aid us in each of our righteous pursuits, but He will seldom do something for us if we can do it ourselves.

Personal Prayer

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ guided,

"Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to the Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6: 6).

Personal, private prayer is a highly essential and necessary part of spiritual development. 

For starters (and enders), one should find a place free from distractions and kneel in humility and commune with our Heavenly Father every morning and night. Although sometimes there is a need to pray silently, we should make a conscious effort at times to pray vocally (see Doctrine&Covenants 19: 28; 20: 51).

Prayer is a two-way communication. As we finish up our prayers, we should each make time to pause and listen for an answer. At times, our answers from God will come while we are on our knees, intended to counsel, comfort, or guide.

We should never ever give into the idea that it is even possible to become unworthy to pray. This idea is a temptation from Satan, who wants to convince us that we must not, or can not pray (see 2 Nephi 32: 8). If we are discouraged by this feeling ever, it just means that we need to pray harder. Pray until we feel like praying.

The Savior commanded,

"Pray always, that ye may come off conqueror; yea, that ye may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work" (Doctrine&Covenants 10: 5).

Even though we cannot be continuously on our knees, always offering a personal prayer, we can still draw up our hearts to God continually. Every day, we may have a feeling of continual love for Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. We may silently express the gratitude we hold to Heavenly Father and ask Him for strength. In times with constant temptation or actual physical danger, we can mutely ask for His help. He will always help the faithful. 

Family Prayer

Also, with His commandment to us to pray in private, the Savior exhorted us to pray with our families. 

"Pray is your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed" (3 Nephi 18: 21).

We should each make family prayer a repeated habit in a family's life. Every morning and evening, we should all kneel together in humility, giving each family member a consistent chance to pray and uniting in the present gratitude for the blessings which Heavenly Father has given us. There should also be a unity of faith to ask graciously for the blessings which we need and the humble prayer for others.

By regular family prayer, the family members will each draw nearer to God and each other. Children will learn to communicate with their Father in Heaven. Better preparation to serve others and withstand temptation will come. The home will become a place of spiritual strength or rather, a refuge from the evil influences present in the world/

Public Prayer

At times, we each may be asked to make a public prayer in a place like a Church meeting or class. When one is asked this, I implore them to remember that they are communicating with Heavenly Father (not giving a public sermon). The last thing that should be worried about in this case is what others may think of what you may say. Instead, offer a simple, heartfelt prayer by the guidance and power of the Spirit.

Receiving Answers to Prayer

The Savior counseled,

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matthew 7: 7-8).

To the Nephites, He said,

"Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you" (3 Nephi 18: 20)

Heavenly Father does in fact hear each of our prayers. He may not always answer as we would expect or prefer, but He does answer--in His own time plus according to His own will. He knows what is best for us (despite what we may think). Sometimes he answers no, even when our prayers, or rather petitions are sincere.

Prayers are answered in a multitude of ways, often through the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost. They may even come through the kind acts of others around us. But they do come. As we continue drawing nearer to God through the power of prayer, we will each recognize His merciful and wise answers to our pleading question (call it what you want, I call it pleading). We will find indeed through time that He is our "refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46: 1).

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/prayer?lang=eng 

What brings me closer to God?

-Scriptures

-Rest

-The Sabbath

-Friends

-Family

-Michael 💓

-Education

-Lack of overthinking

-New beginnings

-Goals

-Easter

-Sacrament

-Baptism

-Agency

-Self-Control

-Thankfulness

-Redemption

-Christ

-Time

-Prophets, seers, revelators

-Pondering

-Responsibility

-Love

-Everything! 

Any of my readers out there have anything to add to my list or any comment at all? I would love to hear it!