In his book, Receiving Answers to Our Prayers, Gene R. Cook says, "…if our prayers are ineffective, or if we don't really learn to rely on the Lord, we're usually left to our own devices". Many people feel that they should rely on the Lord only when times are hard or for major life choices. What would happen, however, if we began to interject prayer in all of our relationships here on earth and extended faith into every aspect of our life? James E. Faust has said, "…nothing can make a greater difference in our lives as we come to know and understand our divine relationship with God". Under the heading of prayer in the Bible Dictionary, it says, "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part. Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them…Prayer is a form of work…". Most people recognize that the relationships that are worth fostering take a good deal of work to maintain. How easy would it be to slide prayer into the routine maintenance of relationships? Especially in those relationships that are more difficult for us, for whatever reason. We have been told to love everyone and to pray for those who use us. The Lord was the ultimate example of praying for the difficult relationships. Spencer W. Kimball said, "He had said, 'Love your enemies'. Now he showed how much one can love his enemies. He was dying on the cross for those who had nailed him there".

Dee W. Hadley, in his article, "The Daily Dozen of Marriage" (Ensign, March 1990) said, "Pray together every day…Prayer should be an integral part of your marriage every day. Including Heavenly Father in your relationship can bring peace that nothing else can duplicate. Even though you have personal and family prayer, you and your wife need to take time to pray together". It has been said that it would be difficult to lose loving feelings toward the person who is kneeling next to you praying on your behalf. This not only includes spouses, but children, members of your ward and community, friends, parents, siblings or anyone else you can think of whose is either figuratively or literally kneeling with you in prayer. Pray for support, for guidance, for help, for love, for gratitude and to avoid stereotypes and judgments in all of your relationships. In 2 Nephi 32:9 it says, "…Ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate they performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul". We are commanded to not do anything until we first pray to our Father. This brings the commandment to 'pray always' into sharper perspective. The Lord isn't there just to help us with our Church callings, He is there for everything we do.

In "The Family: A Proclamation to the World", it says, "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer…" and I am sure that we could slip the word 'relationships' in along the words 'marriages and families'. Dallin H. Oaks said that anyone who truly understands his relationship with the Lord will understand his relationship with others. If that is true, then it seems only logical to practice our relationships with others in the same manner as our relationship with Him: in prayer and in faith.

How to make prayer
more meaningful:

1. taking time to think about why we are praying



2. taking in any special blessings/ needs in the family or community
   
3. pray from the heart, always
   
4. break the habit of repetitive prayers
   
5. learn the difference between wants and needs and only pray for needs (righteous desires)

 

Joseph B. Wirthlin 's formula for prayer

1. Remove the repetitive nature of your prayers
   
2. Have faith as you pray
   
3. Leave the worrying to the Lord
   
4. Do good
   
5. Delight in the Lord
   
6. Commit to keeping the commandments
   
7. Spend more time in prayer

In a BYU devotional on Wednesday, January 22, 2003