Understanding Prayer Again

It's day 159 of documenting 2025.

What a day! 😪

This is probably the first Sunday I would be typing a post this late.

My love for scheduling has been renewed.

It's better late than never, right?

The show must go on.

(Not that this is a show...)

If you're reading this Sunday, I wish you a wonderful week ahead ☺️

Lemme just start this:

I got confused.

About a very important aspect in my spirituality.

This was due to an assignment given to me by my mentor.

Who's a very wonderful lady, by the way.

I respect her a lot 💜

After giving feedback on the assignment, she made it clear that I didn't do well.

And my reply to her was, 

"At this point, I don't know what prayer entails anymore.

I have a lot to learn"

As I carried out other tasks, I thought of what AI would say on the topic of prayer.

Then I decided to ask...

I will share the chat on that later on.

But first, let's get into Highlights

365 Days With Self-discipline

📌 On Having Options

"Always have options. Options are a primary source of power."

Quote by Dave Kekich

"Here’s an easy way to sabotage yourself: limit your thinking to black or white. 

It’s either A or B. You either do it or you don’t. Having only two options takes away your power to choose and makes you susceptible to decision avoidance. 

This, in turn, makes you less likely to introduce important changes in your life."

"Whenever you catch yourself thinking that you only have two options, think again. 

Black-or-white thinking is mental laziness. Always find at least one more alternative and give yourself a better chance of making the right decision."

Hmm 🤔

Black-or-white thinking.

This is my first time of hearing about it.

It's not an empowering way to think...I know that now.

I hope you learned something as well, my friend.

Moving on, let me share the chat I had with ChatGPT about the topic of prayer.

It actually helped me remember what it truly entails and reinforced my mindset.

I'm probably doing it right.

Me: What does prayer mean?

How is it a means of communication to God?

ChatGPT: Prayer is the soul reaching out to God; not just with words, but with intent, trust, and presence. 

It’s how we align our hearts with His, speak our truth, and listen in return. It becomes communication when we approach not just to talk, but to connect—spirit to Spirit.

Me: I see 🤔

What does it entail?

ChatGPT: It entails honesty, surrender, and focus. 

Prayer isn’t about saying the right words—it’s about showing up, fully present. 

Sometimes it’s praise, sometimes a cry for help, other times just silent communion. What matters is that it comes from a real place within you.

Me: How long does a typical prayer take?

Assume that singing praises before prayer is involved.

ChatGPT: There’s no fixed length—it’s more about depth than duration. With singing involved, it can flow for 10 minutes or stretch into an hour. 

What matters is that it’s sincere and unhurried, not a performance. Even a short, honest moment can carry great power.

Me: I sometimes say a few words of prayer before a major task I need to carry out? 

Does that count?

ChatGPT: Yes, it absolutely counts. God hears the briefest whisper when it’s real. 

A few words spoken in faith before a task can be a powerful act of trust—and sometimes, that’s all you need to align your spirit and move forward with peace.

Me: What are the types or kinds of prayer that I should know?

ChatGPT: Think of prayer like different expressions of relationship—sometimes you thank, sometimes you ask, sometimes you just sit in awe. 

There’s no rigid formula, just honest moments with God that reflect where your heart is.

Me: Is it possible for someone to pray without saying a word?

ChatGPT: Yes, completely. 

Prayer can be wordless—felt, not spoken. A sigh, a tear, a still moment of longing can say more to God than a thousand words. He listens to the heart, not just the mouth.

Me: Alright, I'll keep that in mind.

Here's a question:

What if you've been asked to pray for an hour and you're the type that's done with prayers in 15 minutes...

What do you do then?

ChatGPT: Then you shift from 'saying' prayers to 'being' in prayer. 

After your words are done, linger in quiet, listen, worship, or reflect on Scripture. 

Don’t fill the time—'flow' with it. The goal isn’t to stretch your voice but to deepen your presence.

Me: Hmm 🤔

All along, I've been thinking of it as just saying words...

Not connection and depth.

I guess it's a mindset shift for me.

ChatGPT: Exactly, it’s less about quantity and more about quality. Prayer is a conversation and connection, not just a speech. 

That mindset shift opens up a whole new way to experience it—more peace, more presence. You’re already on the right path just by reflecting on it.

Me: Thanks ☺️

Can you summarize what we discussed on prayer?

ChatGPT: Sure! Prayer is a personal way to connect and communicate with God, not just about saying words but about genuine conversation and presence. 

It can be short or long, spoken or silent, as long as it’s sincere. 

Quality matters more than duration, and prayer is meant to deepen your relationship, not just fill time. Shifting your mindset from reciting to connecting can transform how you experience prayer.

That's how the chat went.

You may find this obnoxious...me asking AI about prayer and spirituality.

"Why don't you ask someone grounded in God's word about this?"

You may ask.

Well, I can't give a clear answer to that question.

Maybe it's because I feel like I'm going to get more confused if they explain it to me...

Or because I got curious to know how AI would respond...

Besides, I did a little pre-prompting before I started asking my questions.

All I can say is, I understand more about prayer again.

I probably knew this before...and I just needed a reminder.

Now I know 😌

Thanks so much for reading 🎀

This is officially the latest time for me to type the day's post.

By 6pm on Sunday evening.

It came late...but it's another day added to the streak!

That's what matters.

If you would like to catch up on posts from the past week, visit the main website,

Documenting 2025.

I'll see you there 😉

Oh, and by the way, you can give your suggestions on the blog survey as well.

I would appreciate your response.

I'm Duon Ada.

I'm documenting 2025,

And I'll see you tomorrow.

Ciao 💕