Episode #407: Not Sure What to Say to God? Start Here – Praying Scripture

Hey, friends. Do you ever want to talk with God but you're not sure what to talk about? I think we've all been there. I know I for sure have, and one of the things that I like to do is pray Scripture back to God. Sometimes it's just praying the verses as I read them out loud. But oftentimes, it's also reading the verses and then using them to inspire my prayers to God in a conversation.

And so I'm gonna lead us in a practice of how to do this by reading Psalm 23 in the New Living Translation. It's a little bit more of a paraphrase or thought-for-thought translation, which I just found easier for this exercise to share it with you, but feel free to use whatever translation you prefer. And what I'm gonna do is try to model for you how I pray through these verses. And so you can follow along. Feel free to pause the episode and talk with God on your own. And then, of course, I'll leave you with a question to consider at the very end.

So starting in verse one:

“The Lord is my shepherd. I have all that I need.”

God, I thank You that You are a shepherd of Your people, that I can follow You, that I can trust You to take care of me, that I can rely on Your wisdom and not my own. Thank You that You protect Your sheep, and You say Your sheep hear Your voice, and, God, I thank You for that. I believe that in You I have all that I need, but also, God, I am very aware of some present needs that I have. My family needs health as we navigate this season. There's decisions coming that we need wisdom and guidance on. I don't know what to do, but I know that You have wisdom that You'll share with me. God, please provide what we need.

“He lets me rest in green meadows. He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.”

God, I thank You that it is Your good reputation, Your good name, that You commit Yourself to be a leader who walks with us, who guides us in the right paths to renew our strength, because I get weak. I run out of strength and energy. Lord, I thank You that You let us rest, that You bring us peace. Show me what it's like to receive that from You in this busy season It can be hard for me to rest, Lord. Help me recognize when you are bringing me into places  of rest.

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.”

God, I thank You that even in the darkness, You are not overwhelmed, that the darkest places are not dark to You. God, You know the dark valley that I walk through. You know the dark valleys that are coming that I don't even have awareness of yet. And so I thank You that I don't have to be afraid. Please show me. Help me be aware of how You are close beside me. Please show me how You are bringing Your protection and Your comfort to me. Help me trust You even in the dark valley because I don't like to be there. I want to get out of the valley and yet You say You prepare a feast for me. That even in the presence of my enemy, I am safe enough to sit down and eat. God, I reflect on that today. I thank You for it.

“You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”

God, I thank You that You don't just sustain me, but that You anoint me with Your blessings, that my cup overflows. God, I thank You for the things that are goodness, that represent Your goodness in my life right now that I did not always have, and they are because of You. Lord, I thank You that You pursue me, that all of the days of my life You've pursued me, even the days I didn't know that You were after my heart, even the days that I didn't believe You or I mistrusted You or I avoided You or I resented You. Lord, Your goodness and unfailing love pursue me all the days of my life. Give me a delight for living in Your house, not just someday in the future, but in this day. Give me a delight to be in Your presence. Show me more, Lord, of how You are my good shepherd in these ways.

And that's the question that I invite you to take to the Lord today. As you've listened and prayed with me through Psalm 23, continue that conversation with God.

"God, what do You want to show me about how You are my Good Shepherd and how I can receive You more in that way?"

Have a good talk.

And if you've been encouraged by this content, please share it with a friend and help them grow in their conversational relationship with God too!

Connect with Jen on Instagram(opens in new tab)