Rosette gave me a leaflet today, a pattern for prayer called ACTS. It was great because it was a template, and I understand templates; templates work for me. ACTS is an acronym for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication/Intercession. Full disclosure: the handout is in my bedroom right now, and since I’m already at the computer, I just searched for it on Google.
So I tried to use it before I read the Daily Reading for today. I started with trying to praise Him. The words didn’t exactly roll off my tongue the way I hear others when they’re praying, but it was a start I guess.
Next was confession, and I felt if I started on everything the entire prayer wouldn’t end until tomorrow. There were just so many things to say, so many cans of worms to open up. Which reminded me of a question I had in my head during the sessions today, in class. Is there a purifying process I could go through that concentrates solely in redemption from guilt from past sins? I’ve identified that it’s one of the main reasons why I feel so inadequate as a Christian, which is unresolved hang-ups and issues from past transgressions. If there is, sign me up for it, I don’t care how long that would take.
I settled with being sorry my process was taking so long, and went on with it.
Next came Thanksgiving, and I had a lot to say on that too. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, God has blessed me with so many things for which I realize now I am unworthy. This one would take a longer entry to list down, and I just settled for thanking Him for giving me the opportunity to get to know Him better; for introducing me to this amazing group of people who might just get through to me the way His other ways did not.
For Supplication, I just asked that He grant the prayers of other people around me, and here I could be detailed, and I thought, what a cliche, I knew exactly how to pray when it comes to just asking for things.
Big improvement though. Before when I prayed, I treated God as a casual listener. Even bargained sometimes! It makes me cringe to remember. But at least now I have a better idea how it’s supposed to be done. Or, I’m actually doing what I already know.