Prayers which refer to the different ways of communicating with God are of different types such as petition 1Sam.1:17; supplication 1Kings. 8:33; intercession Gen. 20:7; warfare Psalm 3:7: decrees Joshua 10:12-14. We are commanded to do this in 1 Chro. 16:11; Psalm 105:4; Is. 55:6; Amos 5:6; Matt. 26:41; Luke 18: 1; John 16:24; Eph 6:17-18; Col. 4:2; 1Thes 5:17. Prayer is an act of worship that acknowledges and recognizes God as our personal God, Father and our dependence on Him. It is a means of maintaining our relationship with God. It is a necessary link to receiving God’s blessing and power and the fullness of His promises.

As children of God, prayer is something we are all expected to do easily, effectively and without ceasing (Luke 18:1). However, we know how painstaking and tasking prayers could be. So how do we get started in the first instance with prayer from the heart that has so many things contesting for attention in it? How can prayer be enjoyable as to do it without ceasing as requested of us by our Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 18:1? How can our prayers be effective in getting God’s attention and answers to our prayers?

The best way of achieving all of the above is praying with a heart saturated with gratitude. Gratitude of heart to Him for being a prayer-answering God, gratitude for the privilege and freedom He has given us to make our requests to Him and the assurance of granting us our requests when we pray in Jesus name. A heart that gratefully remembers and recounts previous answered prayers, blessings and His goodness in one’s life finds prayer very interesting and rewarding. A grateful heart acknowledges God and is drawn to Him in love by communication regularly with Him. Gratitude of heart makes one come boldly and regularly before the throne of God with confidence that He hears us always. A grateful heart recognizes and acknowledges God as the Most Benevolent who daily keeps us alive and also daily loads us with benefits (Psalm 68:19). A grateful heart is a heart that depends on God for all its needs. It is a heart that focuses and greatly rejoices in the Lord from whom all good and perfect gifts flow. It is a heart that has faith and confidence in God’s power to solve any problems brought to Him (Mark 9:23; Heb. 10:23). Prayers of adorations, petition and intercession flow effortlessly from a thankful heart.

Prayer saddled with a list of give me this and that is boring and tiring, while one with a list of God’s blessings well integrated with thanksgiving makes one glad and rejoicing. It makes one not to be mindful of time spent praying; a prayer of five hours would seem like 15 minutes. Praying with an attitude of gratitude makes prayer easy, interesting and effective to do. Prayer from the depth of a heart of gratitude is one that does not take offence in God, breaks into God’s presence and attracts His attention and gets quick response as the prayers Jesus prayed at the tomb of Lazarus John 11:41-44. King David the man God referred to as the man after His heart perfected the art of praying with a heart full of gratitude. Apostle Paul who could be considered a champion in prayers mingled with thanksgiving commanded us to pray all manners of prayers always with thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6). Apostle Paul frequently began his letters with a mixture of supplications and thanksgiving (Romans 1:8-9; Col. 1: 13: 1 Thes. 1:2: 2 Tim. 1:3; Phil.1:3-4).

Prayer of thanksgiving during trialing periods as Abraham, David and Daniel did strengthens one’s faith in God and keeps hope alive. A critical study of all the effective prayers in the Bible notably that of our Lord Jesus all revealed gratitude as the bane of hearty prayers. Prayer becomes more interesting and effective when it is that of gratitude because doing so is praying according to God’s will (1Thes. 5:18; 1John. 5:14). A lifestyle of gratitude leads to a lifestyle of effective prayers.

GOD LOVES YOU AND SO DO I.
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Thank you Lord for forgiving my shortcoming give me the grace to stay Holy oh God.

seems legit