how to keep yourself in line with God.... part 2

Another strategy in keeping yourself aligned with God's will is praying for help and listening for answers.  This can be one of the hardest things to do EVER.  I have had so many friends come to me for advice on how to "work" their lives, but I always answer that they need to pray about it.  This seems like a cop out but in reality, it is the best answer anyone can give someone.  One thing that I have noticed that is hard about this strategy is the fact that it is hard to wait for the answer.  Believe if or not, sometimes the answer is no.  It is hard to receive that answer but trust me (I'm speaking to myself too), He knows what is best for us.  We just need to believe that and let Him handle the situations after we have given them up to Him.

I also have known people who "do not know how to pray".  You know what prayer is?  It's a conversation with God.  How I pray is I write to Him.  Seriously!  That is how I pray to Him.  I may say little things here and there throughout the day of asking for strength or whatnot, but when I sit down to have a conversation with Him.  I write it out.  If you think this is crazy, watch Letters to God.  The little boy in that movie really knew how to talk to God, and he wrote to Him.  I am 24 years old and I write to God too.  Just try it and see what happens.  You may writes pages, or just one sentence, either way, you're talking with God.  The other half of this is as soon as you want to pray, before and after, one thing I like to do is "get in the mood" for it.  lol.. this sounds funny written out.  But, seriously, I sit and I just listen first.  This is the "being still" part of it.  Once I get into that mind-set, I begin to just talk to Him.  Then, once I'm done talking, I sit and listen again.  Most people forget and listen once they are done praying.  Praying, believe it or not, is a two-way conversation.  Let God answer you.  The only way you can really do this is to listen.  Believe me, you'll know when He's answered you.  It is the best peace I have ever felt in my whole life, even when everything around me is crashing down, I still feel peaceful about it.  It has gotten me this far, now you go and see how much closer you can get to God.