As one who knows the struggles with prayer and even teaches others how to pray, -Thoughtful Prayers- gives more insight into how to pray than most other methods or how-to books. As much as you can teach others how to pray, they will never know how to pray until they experience praying for themselves. But, reading someone else's prayers are even a greater tool than you know.
By reading each of Harold Bussell's prayers, you gain insight into a man's daily struggles with God about life, the church and with his own spiritual life. Harold opens up courageously as he pours out his heart and soul to God. This kind of courage gives the reader encouragement that it's alright to pray to a sovereign God and ask for guidance for the struggles we face daily.
In taking us through The Lord's Prayer and breaking it down into 6 weeks of personal prayers, you can see that one man's prayers are struggles we can all relate to. We can adopt these prayers and over time transform them to fit our prayer life. We can be courageous, yet reverent to our Holy God, bold, and yet humble to a loving, gracious God that cares for us.
What is interesting to me personally is how these prayers become deeper and deeper as the week's progress. By day 31 I am humbled by how much I am missing in my prayer life, maybe thinking too much of myself or not bearing my soul as much as Harold Bussell has in his prayers. It really creates in me a wanting to do better even in my prayer life. Not to emulate Harold's but just noticing where I might fall short in not being humble or reverent enough in my prayers. Harold's prayers are truly a guide to help you reflect on where you are in your own personal prayer life with God. And then maybe adopt some of his prayers to move you to a closer friendship with Jesus. Steve Wiersum
