Whilst I often enjoy silent prayer in the dead of the night, I have been learning that verbalizing them is equally powerfully.
There are 4 reasons to pray aloud:
1. Praying aloud helps you to focus.
Praying aloud affects our thinking. It is not possible for us to fall asleep praying loud! Much like when we are singing aloud. In fact no one sings in silence. How many times will the song play in our mind like a recording after a time of singing loudly in His presence. I have experienced that.
2. Praying aloud helps us to express ourselves.
Silent thoughts and prayers have only one volume i.e. silence. But when I pray aloud, my prayers express my emotions with much passion and variety. Even my voice have different highs and tones.
3. Praying aloud reinforces our memory.
This is really true especially when praying through the book of Psalms. Vocalization reinforces memory. It aids retention. When I was young I use to memorize facts by reciting them aloud.
4. Praying aloud combines heart, mind and soul.
Praying aloud engages heart, mind, soul and body. It involves motion and activity. It involves moving our hands and arms too!
An example of praying aloud is found in Psalm 142.
The following verses encourage us to cry out to God in our prayers:
1. "I cry out to the Lord with my voice, with my voice to the Lord, I make my supplication" (verse 1)
2. "I pour out my complaint before Him, I declare before Him my trouble" (verse 2)
3. "I cried out to You O Lord. I said "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living" (verse 5).
Here the Psalmist declares God's word in prayer back to God. Prayer becomes really powerful.
4. "Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low, deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I" (verse 6).
It helps if we pray aloud with others to egg us on.
"Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name. The righteous shall surround me, for You shall dwell bountifully with me" (verse 7)
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