A blessing is a prayer asking for divine protection, or a little gift from the heavens. It's also any act of approving, like when your roommate wants to move out and you give her your blessings. The act of one that blesses.

Understanding the Context

2. A short prayer said before or after a meal; grace. 3. Something promoting or contributing to happiness, well-being, or prosperity; a boon.

Key Insights

4. Approbation; approval: This plan has my blessing. American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Prayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing. Prayer is an expression of faith in God’s power, fueled by a desire for more of him.

Final Thoughts

Prayerlessness is the great enemy of true happiness. If you have set it aside or are stuck in a rut, here are seven simple prayers to pray each day. “Prayer is the most important thing you can do for the most important people in your life.” The freedom to pray anywhere, though, often leads to praying nowhere. We should absolutely pray spontaneously whenever and wherever prayers arise in our hearts — during a break at work, before a test, in line with our groceries. A deep prayer life is difficult to maintain, but it’s also greatly rewarding. Consider seven steps to take this year to help strengthen your prayers.

Being devoted to prayer looks different from not being devoted to prayer. And God knows the difference. He will call us to account: Have we been devoted to prayer? Is there a pattern of praying in your life that can fairly be called “being devoted to prayer”?