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How To Get More Out Of Prayer Meeting

We all know, or ought to know, that prayer is important. By faith, we enter the very throne room of God Almighty where He invites us to boldly bring our requests. Prayer moves the hand of God. It’s the lubricant for the engine of the divine kingdom.

With that sure foundation of theology, the Alathea church family gathers each Wednesday to engage in corporate prayer. And yet, somehow we don’t always feel like we’re entering the holy of holies and communing with the divine.

In the middle of the week, in the center of the laborious grind, it’s difficult to pause and connect with God in prayer. We come to prayer meetings with eyes heavy, backs sore, yawns growing, and kids cranky. It’s very easy for the prayer meeting to be a mere routine that is rushed through so we can hurry home and get ready for bed.

The Holy Spirit has recently convicted me to take prayer meetings more seriously, both for my own spiritual growth and for the service of others. To that end, I’ve created a few resolutions that I try to apply each Wednesday.

Thank God for prayer. I like to start prayer by reminding myself of the incredible privilege that prayer is. The twice-holy God invites us to draw near! It’s really easy to lose sight of how amazing that is and so we need regular reminders.

Pay attention. This one is obvious, but (let’s be honest) also really hard. It’s so easy for our minds to drift while others are praying. But remember, we’re supposed to be praying together. It makes the whole experience so much more rewarding if you silently echo the words of the others who are praying. Lift up your heart with them; joining with your brethren in prayer.

Say amen. Amen is not a signal that the prayer is finished or the Baptist version of clapping. It’s a beautiful word, found in Scripture and rooted in the church’s tradition. It means “let it be”. When we say it we are offering our assent to what was said and expressing our desire for it to come to pass. It’s a practical way to pray together. I try to say amen after each person has finished praying. I also try to mean it. 

Pray for less. This seems counterintuitive. How could praying for less items help us value prayer more? But I’ve started to intentionally not pray for everything on the list. Here’s why: The whole idea of corporate prayer is that we are all praying together. So when the person next to me prays for the salvation of my neighbor, I’ve also prayed for the salvation of my neighbor. We’ve lifted our voices together. So, while there’s certainly nothing wrong with praying for something more than once, we also don’t need to feel pressure to mention everything. I’ve found that being concise helps everyone stay more focused. I often try to pray for the items on the list that have not been mentioned yet. 

These are some practical tips that I’ve been trying to implement during the Wednesday night prayer meeting. They’ve personally helped me be more engaged in the prayer and to get more out of the service. I would encourage everyone to find a way to make prayer meeting a meaningful experience and valuable service to God’s church and mission.

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