This was the request of Jesus’ disciples after He was seen praying in a certain place.

What really is prayer? Because even the disciples of Jesus asked him to teach them to pray. If we follow the Lord’s Prayer, we see that Jesus taught His disciples four components:

First, it is a prayer of praise directed to the Father

Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come

Then, a prayer of petition

Give us each day our daily bread

And then, a prayer of contrition asking forgiveness

And forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us

Finally, a prayer of deliverance

And do not subject us to the final test

This prayer is so beautiful that we can learn in our way of praying because sometimes we have different ways in relating to God, so much that we do not know whether we are really praying or we are commanding God to give us what we need, as if God is at our disposal.

Our relationship with God should not depend on our own standard. God is not at our disposal. In prayer, we do not expect God to answer us in the way we want, but in the way God wants, because He knows what is best for us. Hence the saying: “Man proposes, God disposes.”

And so, when there are times we feel discouraged and we do not sense His presence while we are praying, we should not stop. We should be persevering, because God may be testing our faith and patience.