So here is the good news: 55% of Americans say that they pray everyday. Along with that statistic, 79% of evangelical Christians claim that they pray daily.
Honestly, in the midst of the steady secularization that most of our communities are experiencing, this number is encouraging to me! This number shows that Americans are still concerned with prayer. This number shows that the majority of Americans still seek the help of a “higher power” on a daily basis. This number suggests that Americans are less secular than the American media can portray them to be. For the church in America, that is good news!
However, here is the not-so-good news. I have met too few Christians who truly enjoy their prayer life. If we are truly speaking to our God, to our Father who loves us, to our God who is real, to our loving Father who listens, then should we not enjoy it more? Should we not absolutely crave our time with Him? Should we not desire, as Paul instructs, to literally “pray without ceasing?”
Although a majority of the American church claims to pray regularly, the trend that I see in the church is a growing number within the church honestly and simply wishes that it enjoyed it more.
If you can relate to this and would like to grow in your prayer life, I would like to introduce you to a book called “Praying the Bible” by Donald S. Whitney. The premise of the book is simple: Often, the problem with the prayer life of a follower of Christ, one who is indwelled by the Holy Spirit, purchased by the Son, and loved by God, is found in their method (or lack thereof). In such a simple and yet profound way, Whitney proposes a method of using the Bible as a spring-board for our prayer lives.
This is a short read, and I can say with complete integrity that this book has made a profound impact on my personal prayer life. Considering the trend that I am noticing among Christians who simply wish that they prayed more, who wish that they were able to develop a more vibrant prayer life, and who wish that they enjoyed prayer more, this book is a must read.
To find out more, or to purchase this book on Amazon, click here.