Growing with God is not a formula, which can feel frustrating at times since you feel like you’re seemingly doing the “right things”, but you’re not seeing progress. That’s because prayer is a conversation with a Person, not a chatbot or an ATM.
Personal growth with prayer is about strengthening your connection and trust in God, so you can deepen your relationship with Him. When you ask Him for patience, peace, forgiveness, and help forgiving others, you change, you’re asking Him to affect you deeply and profoundly, which requires vulnerability and trust.
Using prayer to aid your personal growth can help with forgiving yourself and letting go of inner wounds, building resilience, self-reflection, and most importantly, spiritual growth. Personal growth is when you develop new skills, attitudes, or reactions.
Read on to discover how you can use prayer as a fertiliser for personal growth!
Prayer for personal growth
Here are the methods we recommend to maximise personal growth.
Ask God about your purpose
Ask God about why He put you into this world— What is your purpose for being alive and what should you be doing?
Maybe it’s working in a particular career while spreading the good news, loving the unloved, or advocating for a cause. This is a great way to discover how you can make a difference in the world and meditate on His plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Quiet time
We all know quiet time with God is important for spiritual growth, but did you know it can help you grow as a person, too? Sitting quietly with God and planning for the future is a fantastic way to build resolve, which could drive you to push for what you want for your life. You can also meditate on qualities you would like to build, like patience, kindness, humbleness, or being reliable.
Quiet time is also an awesome time to practice gratitude, an invaluable skill and personal quality. Have a look at our blog post about how to incorporate gratitude into prayer.
Applying biblical promises
Did you know that the bible contains more than 5000 personal promises to humanity? You can take those promises and apply them to yourself, your circumstances and your family in prayer. Journaling those promises as written prayers allows you to internalise those promises – answering the question – are they really meant for me? They also grow your connection with God, since applying promises from Someone that you trust, deepens your emotional and spiritual connection.
Speaking Biblical promises over ourself out loud is an incredible tool to build faith and see change. This is where personal growth happens, in the quiet, in the reflective; in belief– manifesting as prayer in your heart, on paper and through your words. Check out this helpful list of God’s promises.
Praying in times of need
You can always depend on God to care and provide for you in times of you. 1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” and Philippians 4:6 says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Remember, He is God the Father. Praying in times of emotional and financial turmoil is a surefire to build trust and dependency on Him. Our God is a God of hope, and hope builds resilience. This quality boosts personal growth and helps you better weather future storms, hand in hand with Him.
Journalling
Sometimes, good ‘ol pen and paper can be the best way to process with God. There may be things you don’t want anyone, not even those closest to you, to know. You can write everything down and how you feel about it as a way of pouring your heart out to God. Write your prayers as a letter to God, receiving His forgiveness and guidance as you process.
In conclusion, praying is an invaluable asset when angling for personal growth. You can enlist it through journaling, speaking God’s word into your life, quiet time, praying in times of trouble, and seeking out your purpose with God.
If you need someone to pray with you, submit a prayer request! We’re excited to help you with your growth journey and prayer.