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The Common Struggle with Prayer Prayer is one of the essential aspects of working on one’s faith. When it comes to prayer, almost anyone ends up asking themselves at least occasionally if they are doing it correctly. It almost calls to mind someone who has an “ anxious attachment ” in their relationships: · “Is He there?” · “Why doesn’t He answer?” · “Did I do something wrong?” · “Does He still love me?” · “Did He ever love me?” Have you ever felt this way when trying to work on your faith and relationship with God? If so, pause. Take a few deep breaths. And reflect on this— There Is No "Right" or "Wrong" Way to Pray There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong way to pray. The important thing is your earnest desire to communicate and foster a relationship with God. That said, here are a few components of praying to consider: 1. Pray with Intention If you were brought up in a home where prayer was said every dinnertime, think of how rote that ritual may have become. The words may have come out mechanically, without any thought behind them. This type of praying may be something to avoid. Rather, consider what it is you want to say and why you want to share it with God. 2. Prayer Is Not Transactional Try to avoid bargaining with God. “If you help me get this job, I promise I will go to church every day for the rest of my life.” There isn’t anything wrong with praying for something meaningful to you in your life. However, striking “deals” may not be the best way to go about it. God does have a plan for you, but it isn’t a business proposal. 3. Keep It Real Sincerity is really what this is all about. A sincere desire to communicate and open your heart and soul to God is more important than how you pray. The mechanics are not important. Your intentions are. 4. Be Consistent and Patient We are conditioned by our culture much in the way of those old laboratory mice. Push a lever, and a tasty food pellet comes out— instant gratification. Pick up our phones, tap the screen, and shiny images and messages flash before our eyes— instant dopamine. God doesn’t operate like our phones. He isn’t conditioning us with the pleasure principle. His focus is on meaning, and His plans for us are far grander than Amazon.com and Instagram. The Beauty of Imperfect Prayer The bottom line is there isn’t any need to overthink the correct way to pray. Think of God like a loving parent watching over His child, whom He loves more than anything in the universe. If He is watching His child take their first steps, will He mind if that child stumbles? Will He be angry if that child walks sideways for a moment? Would He be displeased even if that child falls back gently on their butt? Of course not.  If He sees that child pick themselves back up and try again, He will beam with a love unlike any other. He will be happy. And that child will continue to walk on the righteous path in life with a spring in their step and God in their heart.

A Common Dining Dilemma You’re out on a big date with your significant other; you’ve been looking forward to this night for weeks; you carefully selected an elegant restaurant, which you think you’ll both enjoy (after endlessly going back and forth between options!). The somewhat snobby waiter brings out your orders. After pouring yourself a glass of wine, you cut into your filet mignon. To your great disappointment, your steak is well done. You clearly ordered it rare. How do you handle this situation? Three Common Responses to Conflict Many people would pick one of the following three options: 1. Passive Response They say and do nothing. They muddle through chewing their tough-as-leather, overpriced steak and try to make the best of the situation. 2. Passive-Aggressive Response They say nothing but fail to leave a tip for the snobby waiter—knowing it may not be his fault but, hey, they feel a need to deal with the frustration somehow. 3. Aggressive Response They demand to speak to their waiter in a voice loud enough for many other patrons to hear. They embarrass their date by acting in a way not unlike Jack Nicholson in The Shining as he chops through a bathroom door with an ax. Understanding Conflict Styles The above ways of responding to this scenario represent three styles of how people commonly deal with potentially conflictual situations: 1. Passively 2. Passively aggressively 3. Aggressively Many of us feel that the above three styles are our only options in dealing with such things. However, there is another: ASSERTIVELY Why Assertiveness Matters Perhaps the scenario in question represents a first-world problem. However, we all face many situations with others, which play a major role in the quality of our lives. · How do we respond when we feel judged or criticized by a family member? · What’s our reaction when a co-worker speaks to us in a disrespectful manner? · What do we say when a friend keeps asking for money that’s never paid back? The Assertive Approach Assertiveness is responding in a clear, confident, but quiet and non-aggressive manner. Think “walk softly and carry a big stick.” We are respectful and polite to those we are speaking to but know that we need to advocate for ourselves and what is best for us. Here is how one might respond assertively to our original scenario with the leather steak: “Excuse me sir. I’m disappointed with my steak. I ordered it rare, but it is quite well done. I’d appreciate having a fresh one, and some consideration for our meals not being ready at the same time.”  Assertiveness: A Lifelong Skill There is often a learning curve for assertiveness to become second nature. However, it is a skill that, once mastered, will pay dividends for the rest of our lives—especially when what’s at stake is more than just steak!

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