Thoughts on Prayer

Prayer has taken on a new life for me in the last few weeks. I have been preaching a series of messages on the importance of prayer and in truth I had no idea that they would impact me in the way that they have. I feel that I have most certainly gained more insight than I have been able to share and that I was probably the one most in need of the messages I have been preaching. This week I think I realized, not necessarily for the first time, but certainly the most clearly, that we cannot advance the Kingdom of God without a renewed emphasis on prayer.
I have been considering just how little value that the church in America places on prayer. While browsing the web recently, I stumbled across a quote by Leonard Ravenhill in which he declared that the prayer meeting is the least attended meeting at any given church. I think that this is perhaps true because we have made prayer into a superspiritual ritual that must be approached with a great deal of reverence and respect, rather than recognizing it for what it is. I enjoy spending time talking to my earthly friends and family. I enjoy sharing with them what is going on in my life and learning what is going on in their lives. Shouldn't I also enjoy spending time with my Heavenly Father and sharing with Him what is going on in my life (yes, I know He already knows, but He also likes to hear it from me) and learning what is going on in His (really, He wants to share his secrets with me, if I will just stop to listen). Prayer meetings don't have to be boring and formal, instead they can be an exciting time of fellowship with the Holy Spirit. I want to see this kind of life come to our times of prayer. I want to see this kind of life come to my personal times of prayer.
My attitude is changing and with it so is my approach to prayer. Certainly, I continue to approach the Father with my needs, ask him to help me and seek His wisdom and will for my life, but something new is also happening. I am returning to a place where I just like to talk to Him. I find myself more frequently sharing my thoughts and not necessarily during my "quiet times". This happens both verbally and within my heart. As a result, I am also finding myself listening more to His thoughts. If we only realized how much He longs to share His thoughts with us, we would be amazed. This is changing more than my prayer life. I find that my times of worship are more sincere, that my preaching has more passion and that my relationships with both natural and spiritual family are more fulfilling. And, I have to say that I like it.
Let me just be honest as well. I have not suddenly become a supernatural prayer warrior and intercessor exrodinair. I am on a journey and I am learning as I go. I am not walking fully in what I see, but I am striving more each day to walk more fully in it. I continue to become distracted by my schedule, overwhelmed by my circumstances and carried along by the course of events; however, I am slowly learning to overcome these obstacles and live a more fulfilled spiritual life.