Sometimes I struggle to really pray. Does that ever happen to you? One puritan use to say, “Pray until you pray,” but I think we all struggle at times to get going in our prayer. We mumble and fumble and stumble around in our prayers, praying for this and that, changing our minds about what we’re praying about. Lists can help direct us. Directories can help direct us! But I take comfort from the heavenly Dr. Sibbes who says that “God can pick sense out of a confused prayer.”

When I recognize that I’m struggling to really pray, and pray in a focused manner, I’ll often turn to a little book entitled The Valley of Vision.  It is a collection of Puritan prayers and I’ve found it helpful in spurring on and focusing my prayers.  It is full of conviction and comfort.  If you’re struggling with prayer today, perhaps take this prayer on assurance from The Valley of Vision to help spur you on in prayer today.

Almighty God,  I am loved with everlasting love, clothed in eternal righteousness, my peace flowing like a river, my comforts many and large, my joy and triumph unutterable, my soul lively with a knowledge of salvation, my sense of justification unclouded. I have scarce anything to pray for; Jesus smiles upon my soul as a ray of heaven andmy supplications are swallowed up in praise. How sweet is the glorious doctrine of election when based upon thy Word and wrought inwardly within the soul! I bless Thee that Thou wilt keep the sinner Thou hast loved, and hast engaged that He will not forsake thee, else I would never get to heaven. I wrong the work of grace in my heart if I deny my new nature and my eternal life. If Jesus were not my righteousness and redemption, I would sink into nethermost hell by my misdoings, shortcomings, unbelief, unlove; If Jesus were not by the power of His Spirit my sanctification, there is no sin I should not commit.  O when shall I have His mind! When shall I be conformed to His image? All the good things of life are less than nothing when compared with His love, and with one glimpse of Thy electing favor. All the treasures of a million worlds could not make me richer, happier, more contented, for His unsearchable riches are mine.One moment of communion with Him, one view of His grace, is ineffable, inestimable. But O God, I could not long after Thy presence if I did not know the sweetness of it; And such I could not know except by Thy Spirit in my heart, nor love Thee at all unless Thou didst elect me, call me, adopt me, save me.I bless Thee for the covenant of grace (p.92-93).