How To Pray Article Series: Definition and Types of Prayers

"How to pray" is a common question asked by people who would want to have a closer relationship with God. In this day and age where people have begun to be indifferent towards God and Religion, praying has taken a backseat. People simply do not know how to pray anymore, or worse, do not even believe in the power of prayer.

Let me start by defining what prayer is. So what is prayer? Well, prayer is
simply a communication between you and God. I like to use the word
communication because it implies a 2 way process - it is not just talking to God
but listening to what God is saying as well. Usually, when we pray, it is easier
to do the talking and the listening part is harder, right?

Now, what are the types of prayer? What a lot of people are most familiar with
is the prayer of petition. This is asking God for what we want and what we
need and we also raise up the needs of others. So with this type of prayer, we
ask God for help in various areas of our lives and other people's lives -
relationships, finances, health, employment, and so on.

Another type of prayer is the prayer of gratitude or thanksgiving. We thank
God not just for what He had done but for who He is. We thank Him for His
love and mercy; we thank Him for answered prayers; we thank Him for others;
we thank Him for His provisions. In fact, we are to give thanks FOR and IN
EVERYTHING - in every circumstance, experience, life situation - nothing
should lie outside the scope of our thanksgiving.

Another type of prayer is the prayer of contrition. With this type of prayer, we
admit to God the things that we have done wrong, and seek forgiveness for
them. We openly and honestly admit our sins instead of hiding it or offering
excuses for it.

Next we have the prayer of praise. Adoration, praise, worship - they are very
similar that it's hard for me to tell the difference. They tend to overlap.
What is Praise? The word "praise" according to Webster's dictionary means "to
commend, to applaud, to magnify." What does it mean then to praise God? A
simple definition is given by Ruth Myers in her book, "31 Days of Praise". She
said that to praise God is "to admire God for who He is and what He does."

There should be a balance among these types of prayers. We shouldn't be asking God to provide for our needs all the time. We should also praise him, thank him, and ask forgiveness for our sins.


Have you been praying for something for a very long time and still your prayer hasn't been granted? Go to www.how-to-pray-effectively.com and learn how to pray & develop a close relationship with God. Please also visit my blog for the answers to your biggest questions about prayer