How To Sit And Pray

Sitting down to pray is not just something we do when we wake up or before we go to sleep in the evening. Even during the day when we are in the middle of something like work, studies, traveling, etc., we can still sit down and pray to God if we need to. We can do so especially when we suddenly encounter something so overwhelming that we have to come to God in prayer.

Heavenly Father, something just happened suddenly, and it is so overwhelming that I had to come to You in prayer. I am here before Your throne of grace because You are the only One whom I can run to. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Moments of Solitude

Moments of solitude don’t have to come only in the morning when you wake up, in the evening before you sleep, or whenever you schedule alone time with God. Yes, these are special times during which you commune with Him in solitude, read His Word, and pray to Him. However, even if you are in the midst of a busy day, you may still have moments of solitude with Him, especially during scenarios where the only thing you can do is pray to God.

We are referring to moments of suddenness and weariness. For example, a moment of suddenness can happen at work. You may be peacefully working and doing what you planned to do for the day, but bad news suddenly comes up. The news is so bad that, at first, you don’t even know what to do. Hence, even if you’re in the middle of the work, knowing the gravity of the situation, you go to a quiet place to be alone with God and to pray to Him with humility. For in such a situation, prayer should be your first response (Lamentations 3:55-57; Psalm 34:17-18; Psalm 143:1 Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.).

You may also experience a moment of weariness during which you have to take a break, given how much time and energy you put in your work. For example, let’s say you just did an outreach ministry event, and you’re all spent, both physically and mentally. You can step back at that moment, go to a solemn place, and pray to God to recharge. Whether introverted or extroverted, stepping back and communing with God is always a good idea. It is a sign of humility that shows you depend on God, not your own strength (1 Peter 5:6-7; Luke 5:16).

Such an example can be found in the life of Jesus. When He learned of the sudden, terrible news of John the Baptist’s death, He withdrew and prayed to the Father (Matthew 14:12-13). The same thing happened when He had just finished ministering and feeding the five thousand men (Matthew 14:22-23): He withdrew from the crowd to pray.

Father in heaven, may I have the same posture of Christ so that when I receive bad news, I will not try to face it on my own with my strength. Rather, help me strengthen myself in You through prayer. May times of exhaustion not drive me away from prayer but onward to make time for it, for it is in You where my soul is completely satisfied. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

How to Sit and Pray in Moments of Solitude

When sudden bad news comes or you feel tired after a long day of tedious work, sitting down to pray in moments of solitude is just as simple as pausing whatever is going on. You go to a quiet and solemn place where you can cry out to God, be honest, and commune with Him. You have Christ as Your mediator, who invites you to come before God, who has adopted you as His child through Christ. Christ is your confidence to approach God’s throne of grace and ask for grace and mercy in times of need (Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.). If you seek comfort, still, God is the person to whom you ought to run. He is the God of all comfort and the Father of mercy who soothes us in times of affliction (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Father in heaven, terribly bad news just came to my knowledge, and I don’t know what to do. I come to You, for You are the One who generously gives wisdom. Give me prudence in navigating this and the strength to face it. Bring peace upon my anxious heart, Lord. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

We pray in such times because prayer is not our last resort but our first. That is why Philippians 4:6-7 writes that we are to lift our prayer requests to God, and His peace will transcend all understanding and shall guard our hearts and minds. Prayer is a very powerful response to a stressful situation and refreshes us after a tiring time.