Prayer is a special privilege and should be done with great humility and respect. After all, we are speaking to the Creator of the universe! With this in mind, we must be sure we are praying for the RIGHT things that are pleasing to God. But what sorts of prayers are appropriate?
Having a thankful heart is always the right way to be! What are you thankful for? Your family? A home? Your school? Good things to eat? Say “thank you” for the many blessings He has provided, and tell Him specifically what you are thankful for. Psalms (136:1, NASB 1977) says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
We should pray for forgiveness for our mistakes, appreciating that God understands that it’s hard to live righteously all the time. Psalms (103:14, New Heart English Bible) says, “For He knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.” When we realize we have made a mistake, let’s immediately go to God with a repentant heart. To be “repentant” means to feel sincere regret. Psalms (51:17, Good News Translation) says, “My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble and repentant heart.”
Jesus taught us to pray for God’s kingdom to come, so it’s always appropriate to copy his example. In Matthew (6:10, NIV), Jesus said, “…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s kingdom has many parts that occur in different stages. When we pray for God’s kingdom to come on earth and in heaven, we are showing Him that we are eager for His righteous government to be fully established. God made a promise to Abraham in Genesis (22:18, NIV) “…and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” This means many wonderful blessings are coming to every person who has ever lived.
So, what should we pray for? At least three things are always appropriate: expressing thankfulness for His blessings, for forgiveness and for His kingdom to come.