The Power of Place When It Comes to Praying

Jesus often went off to lonely places to pray but at other times He prayed with people present. Sometimes He prayed in villages and cities, and sometimes He went to the mountains. We might want to consider a variety of places, too, because where we pray can make a difference.

Where we pray can be comforting and reassuring

I’m a creature of habit. I seldom miss having an early morning prayer time at my desk in my office. I don’t have to close my eyes and shut out distractions because there aren’t any. The rest of the household is asleep.

Praying with my eyes wide open, I begin with a paraphrase of one of Jeremiah’s prayers, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, by your great power and outstretched arm, you created the heavens and the earth. Nothing is impossible with you. You show your love to thousands, and you have certainly shown it to me” (author’s paraphrase of Jeremiah 32:17-18). Then I thank Him and voice my concerns both for myself and for others. After praying, I’m ready to face the day confident that God will help me and those for whom I pray.

Where we pray can change our perspective

A man I know resides in a valley below a high mountain range. He lives a very stressful life, but Alan says, “When I go up into the mountains, my stress fades away.” As he looks out over the valley below where he lives and works, everything looks different. While he still has problems, his view of them changes, and he is able to pray with more confidence that God will answer.

I don’t live near mountains but I know that being outside can change my perspective. That’s why, weather permitting, I occasionally switch my early morning prayer time from my office to an outside deck. There I can watch the sun come up, listen to birds sing and sometimes see other of God’s creatures wandering through our back yard. None of what I see distracts me from my praying; instead, seeing and experiencing nature refreshes me physically and makes me more eager to pray. I am more hopeful about challenges being resolved.

Where we pray can change our vocabulary

Because I begin my prayers the same way every day and often pray about many of the same things, my words could easily turn into vain repetitions (see Matthew 6:7). Anything that’s repeated runs the risk of losing its meaning, and my early morning praying could turn into that because of the sameness day in and day out. Changing where I pray, though, often improves my vocabulary and helps me better articulate my needs and concerns. My voice becomes stronger and more confident as I pray out loud.

Fresh words and praises come forth from what I see and hear. I no longer rely on Jeremiah’s words, but my own come readily and easily. Praise bubbles forth as I take in God’s handiwork. It’s as if changing places adds exclamation marks to what I’m saying, and I’m invigorated by the experience.

Where we pray can raise our consciousness

When I had to drive my son to a fast-food job early in the morning, it was still very dark. Ben wasn’t too pleased about going to work (he wasn’t at a place in life where he wanted to be). In an attempt to boost his spirit, I said, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24 NIV) and then I began praying out loud. I deliberately raised my voice for emphasis in the early morning darkness. I wanted to encourage Ben and help him believe life still held possibilities for him.

As I raised my voice to add energy to my praying and to encourage Ben, I did so with my eyes wide open because I was driving! I noticed other people going to work in the early morning darkness, I imagined the stresses many of them might be facing. As the world came alive, my praying came alive for others.

Praying with others in church does something similar. At home, praying alone in my office, many of the concerns I express are me-centered. Gathering with other believers, intermingling, hearing their prayers, I become more outwardly focused. My concerns widen as we pray for fellow Christians living and serving in various places around the world.

Where we can pray isn’t limited by the places I’ve mentioned here. Many other possibilities exist because our God is an awesome God who can be contacted anywhere at any time. What’s important is that we recognize this and that we take advantage of the places available to us. We’ll be amazed at the differences it will make.

Jesus suggested we pray in our closets (see Matthew 6:6). When He said this, He was encouraging pray-ers not to get caught up in praying where others hear you or see you. Jesus indicated you might do this to gain praise and admiration, but He also changed places and we can too. In the process, we just might find our praying refreshed, our perspective changed, our vocabulary increased, and our consciousness raised. There’s power wherever we pray.