Asking for Help

May 2020

Discuss Together

  • Read Matthew 6:5-13. This famous passage shares what is often called “The Lord’s Prayer.” When did you first hear this prayer? Did you grow up in an environment where it was recited often?

  • How would you describe your interaction with prayer? Would you say it is confusing, intimidating, meaningful, exciting, purposeful, frustrating, or something else? Why?

  • Is there a wrong way to pray? Why or why not?

  • The disciples asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray.” They saw something in the way Jesus prayed that inspired them. Is there someone in your life whose way of praying inspires you? What have you learned from them about praying?

  • Author Paul Miller writes, “A praying life feels like our family mealtimes because prayer is all about relationship. It’s intimate and hints at eternity. We don’t think about communication or words but about whom we are talking with. Prayer is simply the medium through which we experience and connect with God. Oddly enough, many people struggle to learn how to pray because they are focusing on praying, not on God.” What do you think about Miller’s quote? Do you think we overcomplicate prayer sometimes?

  • What is one way you want to grow in your prayer life? What would it look like to take a step toward growth?

  • What is something you are currently praying for? Would you say you are praying for it expectantly and boldly?

NEXT STEPS

Take an extended time to pray, using the pattern Jesus gave us in this passage. Start with focusing first on God, and then on us.

  • God: Praise God for His character, goodness, faithfulness, and holiness. Then, reorient your life around His purposes. Ask that His agenda would be your agenda.
  • Us: Recognize your dependence on God and lift up your requests for His provision today. Confess your sins and ask God to help you forgive. And finally, ask God to be gracious, steer you away from temptation, and protect you from the evil one.