Read and Grow

As a Christian, you’re often told that you should get excited when people ask you about your faith—like it’s the best thing that could ever happen to you. But . . . if instead of excitement you feel dread, anxiety or shame, you’re not alone.
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Sharing your faith can be a stressful experience for many reasons. Maybe:

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Sometimes, we think that our sins or imperfections make us unqualified to share the gospel. If you struggle with feelings of unworthiness, having someone ask you “so what has Jesus done in your life?” can be awkward. You might feel like a fake, or a fraud—as though your sinful thoughts or habits cancel out any previous work Jesus has done in your life.

Church culture usually doesn’t help, either. For centuries, many Christian denominations have—consciously or not—upheld arbitrary standards of “perfection” that Christians should aspire to, which might make you feel like you’re not good enough to be loved by God.

This is all one massive, poisonous lie, and it’s actually a fundamental misunderstanding of what the gospel message is. The gospel isn’t that Jesus has made you perfect. It’s that even though you are a sinner, Jesus died for you and chooses to love you, every millisecond of every day Romans 5:8. And nothing you can do will ever change that Romans 8:39!The gospel is for you, too.

It’s tempting to believe that the gospel is for others, but not for us. This is toxic thinking, and simply not true! The Bible says that when Jesus died at Easter time, HE

“personally carried our sins in his body on the cross”
1 Peter 2:24

In other words, Jesus—being fully God and fully human—carried all the sins committed by every person on earth. That includes you! He has seen and felt all your insecurities, shame, trauma, jealousy, self-hatred and selfishness. As humans, we can’t fully understand this. Our human bodies limit the amount of physical and emotional pain we can carry. But He carried all of it. He knows every intimate detail about you, and He still loves you infinitely.

So, what was that you said about not feeling “good enough”? If the Creator of the universe thought you were good enough to die for, then you’re good enough to do anything! (Yes, even share your faith).

Here are some things to remember next time you feel unworthy:

Remember the gospel message is for YOU!

Despite your sin, God loves you infinitely. That’s the real good news! It can be tempting to think that it only applies to other people . . . but nope! The gospel is for you too.

Remember that you don’t have to fix yourself: By universal standards, humans are imperfect beings. And there is nothing we can do to change that John 3:6-7. God is the only one capable of changing us from the inside out. Trust that He’s in control of that process.

Seek Jesus in prayer: Take some quiet time and tell Jesus how you feel. Ask Him for forgiveness and a new heart Psalm 51:10, and thank Him for loving you no matter what.

Be honest when you tell your story: Opening up and honestly telling your friend, “Jesus has done so much in my life, but I still struggle and have a way to go” is far more encouraging than pretending to be perfect. It makes God’s love accessible to everyone.

If you’ve been feeling discouraged because you believe your sin makes you unqualified to share Jesus, take heart this Easter. God took your sin to the cross. You’ve been forgiven. Just as He rose from death to life, He wants to give you a new life free of sin Ezekiel 36:26.

Pray that God will give you a new heart this Easter, and that the Holy Spirit will be with you as you share, even the messy bits.

All of us are familiar with the voices of the people closest to us. Think of a family member or close friend. What does their voice sound like? What’s the tone and pitch? Is it harsh, or soft? Quick or slow? Do they have an accent? Could you recognize their voice over the phone? Even now as you read this, you can probably hear their voice in your head.
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Voices carry authority. Words of advice coming from the voice of a friend or parent will carry a different weight for us than the same words coming from a stranger. So when it comes to hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, it’s vital to identify who is actually speaking. Is it the Spirit? Our own desires? Or something else entirely?

Every person has unique vocal qualities. In the same way, the Holy Spirit’s voice has unique qualities that will help you know it’s Him. So what does He sound like?

Language “The Bible”

2 Timothy 3:16 The Holy Spirit will never contradict the Bible. The better you know the Bible, the better you will be able to recognize His voice.

Tone “Still Small Voice”

1 Kings 19:11-12 The Bible describes His voice as a whisper. It’s not a literal whisper but a voice that’s hard to hear when you’re busy.

Pitch “Peaceful”

Psalm 23 His voice will help you find peace even when chaos is all around you. A shelter in the storm.

Resonance “Affirmation”

His voice will resonate with other Christians. It’s helpful to affirm His voice with Christian friends.

Rhythm “Timing”

His voice will often speak to you in your circumstances. Keep a lookout for miraculous coincidences.

Give yourself time to practice learning the voice of the Holy Spirit. One day His voice will be so familiar it will be second nature to recognize it.

The Bible says pursuing the Holy Spirit is something to seek out actively Ephesians 5:18-19. Intentionally put yourself in a position so you can hear His voice. Come to God in prayer with an expectant heart that He will speak to you and lead you.

Here are some key ways to position yourself to hear the Holy Spirit:

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Learning to hear the Holy Spirit takes time and commitment. Don’t give up just because you don’t hear anything straight away. Be intentional. Find a quiet place today and spend 15 minutes actively seeking the Holy Spirit’s voice.

Do you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit? Not every Christian feels confident that they do. There are many ways the Holy Spirit helps and guides Christians, and sensing or hearing a tangible voice is only one. If you want to share Jesus with your friends but hearing the Holy Spirit speaking to you is not your experience, you’ve come to the right place.
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The first thing to recognise is just because you don’t feel like you hear the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong. God chooses how He wants to communicate with you and He is free to communicate how He chooses. God is not withholding his voice until you’re ready to hear him. Don’t get caught in the trap that you must perform for God in order for Him to bless you by speaking to you.

In the absence of a clear sense of hearing His voice, start with what is clear about the Holy Spirit. If you want to grow your trust in the Holy Spirit, start with what the Bible clearly teaches. When you grow confidence in the Bible’s promises about the Holy Spirit, you can grow in faith in areas which aren’t as clear.

Here are 5 foundational and clear truths about the Holy Spirit as revealed in the Bible:

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1. If you’re a Christian, the Holy Spirit is with you.

And Peter said to them,

“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38

The Bible teaches that every Christian, once they repent and believe in Jesus, receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you love Jesus and have been saved by him, you can be confident that the Holy Spirit lives in you.

2. The Holy Spirit is good, you don’t need to fear Him
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"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:13

There is a lot of mystery around what is and what isn’t the Holy Spirit. However, the Bible is clear that the Holy Spirit is good and there’s no need to fear a genuine exploration of who He truly is. Ask God to help you learn more about who He is.

3. The Holy Spirit is given as a gift to help you
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Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Romans 8:26-27

There are many ways the Holy Spirit will help you. He will bring you comfort, give you wisdom, work in your circumstances, bring healing, etc. The more you’re aware of His presence the more you will see His helping work in your life.

4. The Holy Spirit reminds you of God’s words
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But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 14:26

There are a few times in the Bible it mentions that the Holy Spirit will work supernaturally to bring things to your mind at the right time. This can be Bible verses and also it can be simply the right words to say. Be prayerful when you are in a conversation about Jesus and take note and speak the things that come to your mind.

5. Being Filled with the Holy Spirit is for all Christians
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And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Ephesians 5:18

Being filled with the Spirit is not only about things like speaking in tongues and prophecy, it’s about His daily guiding presence in your life. It’s a daily presence He gives to you when you seek it. Don’t let your fear of the unknown stop you from receiving the blessing of His presence. Ask for it and seek it every day.

If it’s not your experience to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, start by pursuing Him in the ways that have been made clear in the Bible. Commit these Bible verses to memory, seek the Holy Spirit daily, and rely on Him as you talk to your friends about Jesus.

Life can feel like a battlefield. Our personal and professional priorities constantly fight for our attention. On any day there can be dozens of important tasks to be done, yet so often we miss what’s most important. As Christians, how do we prioritise something like spending time with the Holy Spirit?
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Action beats intention every time.

A study in the British Journal of Health and Psychology found that 91% of people who actually planned the details of their physical exercise ended up following through with that commitment. As a Christian, cultivating your relationship with the Holy Spirit should be a high priority. The problem is in our busy world we either forget its importance or we become so distracted with everything else that it never gets done. The solution is to start with action.

Don’t just tell yourself “I’m going to spend time with God tomorrow”. Plan it.

Not just in vague terms; plan the time and the location. Some people like to use their commute; other people like to find a quiet spot at the beach or in nature. Try to avoid places that have lots of distractions. Think about the place and picture yourself there.

Now that you’ve chosen a time and location, set a reminder on your phone. This will help to remind you, but more so—the very act of setting the reminder is already a confirmation of your commitment.

Congratulations, you are on your way!

God wants you to build a strong connection with the Holy Spirit, He will help you with this. So ask for His help.

Start building your relationship with the Holy Spirit right now.

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Look at that! You’re already 3 steps along the journey! Keep going!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." - Romans 15:13

Understanding what the Holy Spirit is saying can be a challenge.

The Bible says He is your helper and guide through life, but how can you have confidence in what He’s saying? Or even if He is speaking in the first place? Is that voice telling you to study at uni the Holy Spirit? Or when you hear that “she’s the one,” is that Him or just your emotions? Is it possible to develop a way to understand what the Holy Spirit is saying when He speaks?

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear talks about setting up systems to help you achieve your goals. He writes, “I began to realise that my results had very little to do with the goals I set and nearly everything to do with the systems I followed.” A musician, for example, might have a goal to perform a difficult new piece. Their system involves how often they practice, how they break down and tackle difficult measures, and their method for receiving feedback from an instructor. Their success is determined, not by their internal motivation, but by their dedication to the system they’ve created. If your goal is to understand what the Holy Spirit is saying, you can gain confidence in that by developing a system.

Here’s a simple system to help you:
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Listen

We can assume the Holy Spirit is always speaking, so we need to stop and listen to Him. His voice is small and still, so this can take time and patience. Give yourself time and space to intentionally stop and listen to that voice.

Hear

Take detailed notes of when you feel like you’ve heard from Him. Does it line up with God’s character? Does it line up with what the Bible says? Include the date and time as well as the details of what He said; your memory alone can be unreliable. Hold onto those notes so you can review them later.

Respond

Put into action what you feel like He has told you to do. Whether it involves some sort of sacrifice or putting yourself outside your comfort zone, embrace the challenge and trust that God will help you do it.

Review

Evaluate what happened. Was there a positive outcome? Did you or someone else grow because you responded?

Use this system to familiarise yourself with the voice of the Holy Spirit. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and have grace with yourself, as this is something you will learn over time. It’s also helpful to check in with a close Christian friend and go on the journey together. The more you live out this system, the more familiar you will become with the Holy Spirit’s voice.

John 16:13“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

Start today!

Prioritise this system into your time with God and see how you learn to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice.

Laura is the kind of person you want as a friend. Always looking to the bright side of life and always checking in to see if you’re okay. She shared a situation where she did just that with a work colleague...
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“A friend of mine at work looked really upset so I went up to her and simply asked, ‘Are you OK?’

She looked up at me and her eyes looked a little bit red like she'd been crying, so I just decided to give her a hug – which was actually quite bold of me, especially being in a work setting. The hug led to her sharing about something that she was going through, which then led to a helpful conversation about Jesus.

She opened up to me about a miscarriage that she had recently gone through, and I was actually able to sympathise with her because I've been through something similar myself. She then asked me an interesting question, ‘How does the heartache go away?’ I was able to be really honest with her and said that the pain didn’t necessarily go away, but that my relationship with Jesus has been one way I've found that has really helped me.

Undergoing self-reflection to understand your own experiences (even if you don’t share them directly) is a great way to build empathy for others. Taking the next step and being vulnerable by sharing is a great way to spark conversations that lead to talking about Jesus. Simply sharing your story is powerful because you never know what that simple act of vulnerability can do in someone's life.

I feel like we sometimes overcomplicate things.

Being Bold and giving something so simple – like a hug, a word of encouragement, asking ‘Are you OK?’ – that can really change someone's life.”

Lis is a passionate Brazilian, visual artist, and mother. After losing her own mother, we spoke to her about the importance of empathy and how God can bring good things out of tragic circumstances...

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“I lost my Mum to cancer"

Not long after that I found myself in a conversation with a woman who also had cancer. I was still grieving the death of my Mum, but I didn't want to let that pain get in the way of the Holy Spirit's prompt to pray for her. I also didn't want that woman to miss out on everything that God could do in her life.

The dilemma in that moment was how to be empathetic to what she was going through and not be insensitive just because I wanted to talk about Jesus. So I asked an open-ended question to gauge her response: ‘Do you believe in God?’ This was a great question because it gave her the power to direct the conversation and gave me the opportunity to listen and hear things from her perspective.

The question opened up a great conversation. I was able to share about the tangible hope that Jesus had given to my Mum and family towards the end of her life, and in the end, I was able to pray for her!

In Romans 8:28 it says,

‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.’

This experience reminded me how important it is to reflect on your past experiences, bad and good, because God can and does use both.

When you remember what God has done, you will be prepared to share when the opportunity comes.

Have you ever invited friends to your house and had to do a frantic, last-minute clean up right before they arrive?

You invited them around but forgot that your house or room is an absolute mess. Like, ‘dirty plates on the floor’ kind of mess. So you rush around hiding your clothes and dishes into the nearest cupboard, run a wet cloth over the bench, and empty an entire can of air freshener to mask the smell. All too often, we do the exact same thing when it comes to sharing Jesus.

Every Christian sins, including you. And the associated feelings of guilt and shame can be a barrier to talking about Jesus when the opportunity comes. “How can I talk about how much I love Jesus when I’ve just failed him?” If you resonate with this, you’re not alone. You might feel the impulse to try harder and to make it up by doing lots of good things. Hide all of your failings and cover up the smell of your faults. But that’s not what Jesus wants you to do.

It’s important to pay attention to the guilt you feel after you sin, but what you do with that guilt is crucial. To try and fix yourself is pride in disguise. Rather, the Bible encourages us to confidently take our sin straight to Jesus, who is quick to forgive. There is nothing you can do to be more forgiven than you already are. The Bible says there is no more condemnation for you. Your identity is saved, forgiven, and righteous. Perfect in God’s sight.

Don’t try and fix yourself but go to the one who can , Jesus.

Talk to him, confess your sins, and ask for His forgiveness. You can do this knowing He will forgive you because he has promised to. When you confess your sins, the Spirit will take away your feelings of guilt and shame and replace them with peace and acceptance.

As you do this, understand the fullness of God’s grace towards you and choose to live from that place. You have received grace upon grace, His grace is sufficient for you, and you have been adopted as a child of God. All this is true about you regardless of your actions. It’s prideful to try to add your own good deeds on top of God’s forgiveness in order to make yourself more right before God.

The truth of the gospel is that you were saved while you were still a sinner.

This is a powerful truth. Why? Because your friend who doesn’t know Jesus needs the same forgiveness. What better way to share Jesus than to be honest about your own imperfections and how you can come to Jesus every day and be free of guilt.

Take time to consider Jesus’ love and grace towards you. Confess your sins and you will find forgiveness. And the next opportunity you have, don’t hide your imperfections but punch Satan right in the face and use them to share the truth and grace of Jesus.

References

Romans 8:1 There is no more condemnation for you.

John 1:16 You have received grace upon grace.

2 Corinthians 12:9 His grace is sufficient for you.

Romans 8:15-16 You have been adopted as a child of God.

Romans 5:8 The truth of the gospel is that you were saved while you were still a sinner.

There’s no denying it. Starting a conversation about Jesus can be super awkward. It can come across forced and ungenuine. Your friend might get defensive and you might not know how to respond to hard questions. It can feel easier to avoid the topic completely.

How can you start conversations about Jesus in an easy and natural way?

God has woven ideas, stories, and analogies into our culture that point towards Jesus. They are reflections and refractions of God and our relationship with Him. In fact, you’ve probably already talked about Jesus many times, you just didn’t realize it.

There are many kinds of stories that do this, and we will briefly explore 3 of them here.

Good vs Evil

Stories about good vs. evil have been around since humanity first started telling stories.

Star Wars and Lord of The Rings, for example, present a world where there is a clear distinction between the forces of good and the forces of evil. The evil side is powerful, and often the hero is seduced by the power of evil, but ultimately the good side wins.

Hero Stories

Stories about heroes are very popular. Often the hero is a normal person who is given certain abilities to fight on behalf of the helpless. Their lives are marked with self-sacrifice and service.

Redemption Stories

Redemption stories connect with us on a deep level. These are stories where the protagonist will be heading down a dark and evil path. Things continue getting worse for them until they hit rock bottom, have a realization, turn their life around, and find redemption.

These narrative concepts connect with us because they are true, and they are true because they are ultimately about Jesus. Think about it. Jesus defines good and evil. Jesus is the ultimate self-sacrificial hero, and all of humanity needs redemption.

As God’s children, we are to live by this command:

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”

Romans 12:21.

But how does this help you talk about Jesus?

When you’re having conversations about these topics, ask open-ended questions to explore these topics at a deeper level.

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This list of questions is obviously not exhaustive, it’s just to get you thinking. Always start by asking what they think about it, then share your thoughts and make sure it’s a conversation, not a sermon.

There are trending cultural conversations happening around you all the time. Be aware of these stories in the movies or streaming on TV. Consider how they reflect Jesus and use them as starting points for great conversations.

What stories do you know that could lead into a conversation about Jesus?

Bailey Jeffs.

Surfer. Photographer. Guitarist with a curiosity for synthesizers. He is a man on a journey to discover what the expression of his creativity looks and feels like.

At the moment, it looks like a music project, ‘LUUNG’ — melodic musings set to an introspective backdrop of chimey guitars and smooth synths.

“I’m actively pursuing a career in music and it’s only because of Him (Jesus) that I’m doing that.

It’s a really bad investment, music. You put so much in with very little return, but I’ve got this sense that He’s guiding it.” — Bailey

Like many artists, Bailey’s creativity is rooted in a conversation at the core of who he is and what he believes.

“My personal faith journey was after finishing school.

I had the realization that the person other people say you are when you’re in school, that’s not who I had to be. And I guess Jesus came into that.” — Bailey

With a passion to connect his faith and identity to his creativity, Bailey has found inner confidence in his gift.

“After leaving school, I realized that God is real and He’s made me this specific way.

I’ve got gifts and abilities that I’m stoked to have because of Him. Not comparing myself to other people, but I’ve got big dreams and stuff I wanna do in my life and I just want to own that, ’cause I’m proud of that and I know God has a plan.” — Bailey

‘Christian music’, as a method for preaching the gospel, has an awkward reputation for superficiality, either avoiding the deep issues of life or providing shallow answers at best. Bailey is keen to explore a third option: asking great questions.

“I don’t feel like I’ll be making music so I can go up to someone and say, ‘Hey! You should follow Jesus.’

I don’t want to go around quoting scripture or like, ‘this is why I’m being good and buying you a coffee.’ You know, you don’t do that. Music gives you the space to ask big questions like that without isolating people. I think that’s what I like about it.” — Bailey

Bailey is just as passionate about his craft as he is about living an authentic life in relationship with God and allowing his creativity to be the overflow.

“I think there’s so much inspiration that can come from being a Christian,

(knowing) the God that created everything, literally the greatest creator of all. Surely we should be making better stuff than every other person who doesn’t have faith.” — Bailey

You can experience purpose by knowing your calling, having the courage to pursue it, and trusting that God will create opportunities to use you and bring others into relationship with Himself.

“Find what you’re good at and pursue it wholeheartedly.

Give it to God. It’s hard but He knows what He’s doing at the same time. I think that’s what I’m put on the earth to do — express my faith through whatever I’m making. It’s simple but that’s also what I think faith is about.” — Bailey

You live in a world of fences. It’s all too easy to live inside your secluded home, stream on-demand TV, and lock away the world outside.
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These fences aren't just physical; they're emotional as well. People like to keep others away because they feel safer. This can make sharing Jesus with your next-door neighbours a challenge. So how can we change that?

Jesus told a story about a good neighbour. A Jewish man was robbed and beaten and left on the road. After a priest and temple worker walked right past, a Samaritan man stopped to help him. Samaritans and Jews had a bad history and more or less hated each other. But when the Samaritan saw the robbed man, he had compassion for him despite their differences and helped him. Jesus said this Samaritan man was a good neighbour and tells all of us to do likewise Luke 10:29-37.

You have the opportunity to be a good neighbour. The Samaritan man helped the Jewish man despite the differences they shared. Differences don’t need to be a barrier. Reach out and have compassion for them. Find some common ground and serve them.

Start by paying attention to what’s going on in your street. If you take the time, you’ll be surprised to see what’s going on in the lives of the people living around you. Try taking some time to walk around your streets and observe. Pray as you do so. Some families are very busy and struggle to keep up with the yard work. Some people are lonely. Some people struggle with health. Don’t be nosy, but be observant.

If you observe someone that could use some help, approach them humbly and sincerely and offer to serve them. You might offer to mow their lawn or help them with their garden. Take their dog for a walk once a week. Offer to serve them in a tangible way that lets them know you care for them. Even if they don’t accept, they may still feel encouraged that you offered.

Some people will just love your company. Loneliness is a big problem in our culture today. Spending one hour a week talking with a neighbour can mean the world to them. Listen and care for them, and if a chance to share Jesus comes up, do it.

God has placed you where you live for a reason. Listen to the words of Jesus and be the good neighbour he wants you to be. Take initiative, show compassion, and love them the way Jesus would.

Take time today to observe the streets you live in. Choose one person in need and reach out to them.

There are 7.6 billion people living on earth today. That’s billions of problems people are facing at any moment.

If even a fraction of humanity talks to God about their problems – that’s hundreds of millions of prayers every hour. So it begs the question – if God exists, why would He be interested in me?

The idea that God is distant and disinterested is very common. Many people believe God created the universe and then completely forgot about us. It’s understandable when you consider how much evil, pain, and death there is in the world.

But the Bible describes God as being present and approachable amidst the mess of life. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to experience that very same pain, evil, and death – so he understands your pain. God is interested in you and wants to hear from you.

Prayer has been a part of us since humanity first emerged. The majority of tribes and peoples throughout history have acknowledged the existence of some kind of Creator and desired to communicate with it.

The ability and desire for communication with our Creator is in our very bones.

You don’t need statues, incense or music to talk to God; prayer is relational, like talking to a close friend or relative. When Jesus taught his followers to pray he said to simply go into your room, close the door, and pray to your father in heaven Matthew 6:6.

The Bible talks a lot about prayer. It says if you draw near to God He will draw near to you James 4:8. It also says that you can pray to God no matter what you’ve done, He knows you, has compassion for you and understands your weaknesses Hebrews 4:15-16.

There are also many benefits to praying regularly.

Prayer brings clarity.

It helps your mind focus on the things that are important to you. Since they often revolve around the most pressing things in your life, praying helps you process those thoughts.

Prayer also brings freedom.

When you acknowledge and tell God your mistakes (the Bible calls them sins), it helps you learn from them. The Bible says that God forgives our sins and brings us freedom and that what we ultimately need is not only to learn from sins but to be saved from them. That’s why Jesus came.

If you’re curious about talking to God – give it a try. What can you lose? You can start by simply sharing what’s on your mind in the most honest way you know how. You could also use a prayer Jesus taught his followers:

“Father in heaven, your name is holy. May your kingdom come, and your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Provide for me my daily food, and forgive my sins, as I also forgive those who sin against me. Don’t lead me into temptation, but deliver me from evil. Amen”

Start your prayer journey today. Take some time out and speak to Jesus as if he was a close friend.