Things to know about God for a more effective prayer life

The way you perceive God affects everything you believe about life and your entire faith-outlook. If you believe God is a Father who forgives, you’d never lose heart no matter how bad your sins are, but if you believe that God is vengeful you’ll be afraid to even approach him in the Sacraments especially Penance.

Therefore, believe right, know the True God. Here are a few things i think you should know to be able to believe right and pray more effectively:

1. God knows better: “but not my will but your will be done” Luke 22:42. These words of Christ is the perfect way to end a prayer. If we learn to imbibe to attitude of self-abandonment, we will be holier and be more content.
2. God doesn’t hate: sometimes we think God hates us because of our sins. He doesn’t. He hates sin but loves us. Whatever God creates he loves, his love is what sustains all things in being. God is love. We must fight against sin and injustice, return whenever we fall and go back twice stronger into the battlefield.
3. God is not a hitman: God cannot kill or smite someone for us just because we hate them or have been hurt by them. God loves all his creatures. A father cannot kill a son for his other child, he loves all equally and carries all along. Stop asking God to punish people, he won’t and we’re damaging our relationship with him by doing this.
4. God is not man: really, God is not a body. Try as much as possible not to imagine God as a big man, sitting in a big chair, with long white beards and all. He is pure Spirit, you cannot feel him, hear him or see him. You can only hear him in the Scriptures, in His living voice in the Church and you can see him through the eyes of Faith in the Eucharist.
5. Wait, God has something to say too: Prayer isn’t supposed to be a monologue, wait back after a visit to Jesus, he probably has something to tell you in the form of inspiration. Make time for silence in his presence.
6. Lead a good life: try, struggle, fight to lead a life worthy of God. Be holy, utilize the Sacraments of the Church with reverence and consciousness.
7. Forgive and ask for forgiveness: Remember the Our Father? “as we forgive those who trespass against us”. We must forgive others to be able to pray more effectively.

When you “pray without ceasing”, God listens, when it proceeds from a pure heart the heavens are moved. Draw closer to God in a love affair, he will teach you more about himself and you’ll have a better and better relationship with him.