1 Corinthians 14:15

"What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also."

Why?

Have you ever found yourself asking that question in your prayers? Often times when we experience trials or heartache, we may want to know why we must endure hard things. During the past couple of years of my life, I have dealt with trials that seemed so hard that I simply could not understand why my Heavenly Father would require so much of me. As I prayed, I pleaded for understanding as to why I needed to endure these particular trials. But, it wasn't until I changed the questions in my prayers that the burdens no longer overwhelmed me. One day as I was praying, instead of asking to know why, the question changed to help me understand how to accept, have patience, and endure.

Praying with understanding isn't about gaining knowledge of why we must do what the Lord requires, but how we can accomplish the things He wants us to do. Once we comprehend what it means to understand, we will be more aware of how to pray with understanding.

When searching the meaning of understand on dictionary.com, the following definitions will be found:

- to be thoroughly familiar with; apprehend clearly the character and nature

- to grasp the significance, implications, or importance of

- to learn or hear

- to accept as true; believe

- to perceive what is meant; grasp the information conveyed

- to regard as firmly communicated

Praying with understanding means to be familiar with Heavenly Father and to comprehend His character and grasp the significance that we can ask the God of the universe for individual help to guide our lives. To understand, we must perceive, learn, hear, accept, and believe the words He speaks to us. When we seek to understand, we must desire to know what is being communicated. Understanding requires more listening that speaking.

I often find myself doing all the talking during my prayers because it takes more effort to listen. I need to constantly remind myself that the fewer the words, the better the prayer. In your prayers today, try to listen and understand instead of doing so much talking.

Love, Sister Linnell