Wrestling With Faith

How important is it that someone learns specific prayers?

This a great question.  I am going to start by saying that it isn't really important that we learn specific prayers.  Some traditions prayers can help us such as the prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10 or the Lord's prayer found in Matthew 6: 9-15.

1 Chronicles 4:10 "Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain, And God granted his request."

Matthew 6:9-15 " This then is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

There are other prayers by various church leaders throughout the years that can help because they say what we are feeling very clearly and so we may want to say one of their prayers.  This is good and can be beneficial.  At the same time these prayers can also hinder us in that we can recite them without truly communicating with God.

Remember that the importance of prayer is to communicate with God.  Some of the best prayers are when people are just being genuine and honest with their God.  We ought to be able to talk with God just like I talk to a family member or close friend.  It is not about the words that we say but that we communicate with God.  What does that look like for you? There is not set way of praying.  Matthew 6:9-15 was Jesus answering a question for his disciples when that asked Jesus how to pray. So, Jesus respond by giving them an outline of what things to pray about.