The most powerful and important Being in the Universe is God—and He wants a close, loving relationship with you! But does He seem distant? Is He merely a vague concept in your mind?

God is not just your parent’s God; He is your God also. As a young person, you need to maintain a personal relationship with your heavenly Father, which can be developed through prayer, meaning talking with God.

Although praying may seem strange at first, once you establish it as a daily habit, it will become as natural and real as talking with a physical father.

However, you must approach God His way, not your own. In the Bible, the Creator details guidelines on how, when and where to pray. These principles provide a great starting point for anyone desiring to make daily prayer a part of life.

Have the Right Focus: Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). He responded by outlining what to pray for and in what order. (See also Matthew 6:9-15.) This list is in the Bible for you to study. Use it to guide you as you begin.

Be careful not to simply repeat the biblical example word for word. God is not interested in prayers that sound like recordings or vain repetitions (Matt. 6:7). Neither does He want you to pray in a sleepy, disinterested manner. This type of prayer will go no further than the ceiling!

When talking with friends, you engage in exciting conversations. You should do the same with God. Prayer has to be real and from the heart!

Always approach God with a submissive attitude: “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (I John 3:22).

Prayer should be heartfelt. If you do not put effort into your prayers, God will not answer. Nor will He listen to dull, empty, monotonous ones. “They have not cried unto Me with their heart,” God declared in Hosea 7:14. When you put your heart into prayer, however, you get God’s attention and receive results! God can deliver you from problems and bless you. As the Bible says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jms. 5:16).

Fervent prayer gets results.

Appropriate Position: Christ set an example of the proper prayer position by kneeling before the Father. “And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed” (Luke 22:41).

God deserves respect, and this position shows reverence toward God. Praying on your knees shows a submissive attitude. Bowing your head before God is also considered correct. Another way to pray is on your knees while spreading your hands to heaven (I Kings 8:54).

Remember that while you can talk to God any time throughout the day—walking, working, at school or on the bus—your main daily prayer should be in private on your knees.

When: Upon rising in the morning, you should seek your heavenly Father first by beginning every day with prayer.

There are several examples in the Bible where servants of God sought Him early. The Bible records that Jesus Christ rose early in the morning to pray. “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35).

King David prayed three times a day: “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice” (Psa. 55:17).

As a teenager, David prayed and had a close relationship with God. As a result, God answered his prayers and David had faith that He would continue to protect him (I Sam. 17:34-37).

When you pray, you too should believe that God will grant your request if—and only if—it is according to His will. You should always make sure to mention that everything be done according to His will.

Daniel also prayed three times a day (Dan. 6:10). On top of that, the apostle Paul said, “Pray without ceasing” (I Thes. 5:17). Of course, this does not mean you should literally pray every second, minute and hour of your life, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It simply means you should be in a constant, prayerful attitude. You cannot take days off. Prayer must be a daily way of life.

Work at establishing a habit of morning prayer and you will soon find that the day goes better as a result.

Where: When praying, you should find a private place, such as a prayer closet. “But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly” (Matt. 6:6).

You should do most of your prayer in private on your knees. Christ’s life again provides an example: “And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone” (Matt. 14:23).

If you share a room with a sibling at home or with “cabin mates” at Ambassador Youth Camp, you should be resourceful in finding time and a place to pray—perhaps quietly by your bed. If you have trouble locating an appropriate spot, speak with a counselor to help you arrange a specific time in which you can talk to God alone.

What to Request: Make a list of what you plan to say before praying. Such a list has many advantages. If you begin now to write down what you would like to pray about, you will become more effective in your prayers. Be sure to leave room for inspired thoughts from the heart.

While it is not wrong to pray for your needs, your prayers should include others. Praying for others helps to get your mind off yourself. For example, you could supplicate God about your parents, siblings, the Church, Work of God, friends, your daily growth, proper attitude, protection and even your enemies (Matt. 5:44).

It pleases God to see outgoing concern for others. Concern for the welfare of others is the essence of God’s Law of love toward neighbor. “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34).

The Closing: Your prayer should conclude with “In Jesus’ name” and “Amen.” When we say “Amen,” we are saying, “so be it”—meaning everything for which we have prayed. This shows God we take prayer seriously.

Remember, it takes time to develop the right prayer habits, so start now! Although prayer does require effort, it produces many rewards.

God has provided an open line for you to contact Him. Use that open line daily and your life will go better than you could have ever imagined. God is waiting to hear from you.