One of the questions I often encounter about how to pray is whether praying with others is effective or not.
When someone asks me about this, I am often reminded of some verses in the Book of Ecclesiastes, specifically in Chapter 4, verses 9-11, which state: "Two are better than one for they have a good reward for their toil.
For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to the one who is all alone and falls and does not have one another to help.
" Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 We cannot live well without help.
All of us have friends, family members, people who have influenced our lives in one way or another, people who have helped us become better persons.
We need people in our lives and it is the same with prayer.
Our prayer journey is more easily traveled when we have company.
And so I believe prayer is more of a shared activity than a private activity.
We are all members of the body of Christ.
We are all part of a community.
As Timothy Jones said in his book 'The Art of Prayer': "Spirituality is not a spiritual do-it-yourself project.
We were made for others in life and love, and we were made to be with others when we pray.
" I'm not saying that one-on-one individual prayer is not powerful and effective.
Certainly, God wants you to establish a one-on-one, close, personal relationship with Him.
However, there will be other times when He will want you to group together and unite with a few other believers in prayer.
Our Lord Jesus Christ wants us to do both - pray alone and pray with others.
In Matthew, chapter 6 verse 6, He said: "But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father, who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
" Matthew 6:6 But He also said and this time in Matthew 18:19-20 "Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.
" Matthew 18:19-20 Also, note that in the Lord's Prayer, Jesus used plural instead of singular pronouns: Instead of "MY father", He said "OUR Father...
" Instead of "Give ME today", He said "Give US today...
" Instead of "Forgive ME", He said "Forgive US...
" Instead of "Lead ME not", He said "Lead US not...
" Instead of "Deliver ME from evil", He said "Deliver US from evil..
..
" There are various avenues or opportunities to pray with others.
You can pray with your husband or wife, with your friend or friends, with your family, as part of a prayer group, as part of a church congregation, during prayer meetings, during Mass, and so on.
There are those of you who would say that you much prefer to pray alone.
But actually, you need both.
I personally find praying with others indispensable for my growth in prayer.
Let us grab all the available opportunity to pray with other people.
Praying with other people is one step in learning how to pray effectively.
We not only develop a closer and personal relationship with God, we are also able to forge a deeper bond with other people by praying together.