Watchtower Study, “Article 42”, Week of December 22-28, 2025, How to Improve Your Prayers, Answers.

Watchtower Study, “Article 42”, December 22-28, 2025, How to Improve Your Prayers, Answers.

“I call with all my heart. Answer me, O LORD” (Ps. 119:145).

1, 2. a) What can make our sentences monotonous or superficial?

Sometimes, our prayers can become monotonous simply due to the pace of life. When we are tired or have many responsibilities, we may fall into very short or repetitive prayers.

Feeling unworthy or afraid to tell Jehovah how we really feel can also play a role. In the Psalms, we see that Jehovah wants us to open our hearts to him, not to use beautiful words. He values ​​sincerity more than perfection.

Therefore, if we notice that our prayers become superficial, it is not a sign that we are bad Christians, but a call to stop and remember that Jehovah wants to hear us just as we are.

1, 2. b) How do we know that Jehovah pays attention to everything we say to him?

We know that Jehovah hears everything we say to him because the Bible assures us of this. For example, Psalm 10:17 says that Jehovah hears the plea of ​​the meek. And in Psalm 139:1-3, the psalmist acknowledges that God knows every detail of our lives, even our thoughts from afar.

This shows that he not only hears the words, but also understands the intention and emotion behind them. Jehovah does not need us to use special expressions. Knowing this gives us confidence to speak to him openly, without feeling fear or shame.

3. What questions will we answer in this article?

In this article we will analyze four main questions.

First, we will see why we should not be afraid to tell Jehovah our deepest thoughts and feelings.

Second, we will analyze how we can make our prayers deeper and more meaningful.

Third, we will see how the prayers recorded in the Bible can help us improve our own prayers, since they often express things that we ourselves feel.

And finally, we will talk about what we can do when we are so distressed that we cannot find the words to pray. Jehovah understands this situation and also gives us help.

These four questions will guide us to strengthen our communication with Jehovah and to enjoy prayer more.

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO PRAY TO JEHOVAH

4. What will help us to open our hearts to Jehovah? (Psalm 119:145)

It will help us greatly to view Jehovah as a faithful friend and as a Father who wants what is best for us. When we think about the writer of Psalm 119, we see that he faced serious problems, lies spread against him, and struggled with his own imperfection. Even so, he was not afraid to express his feelings, as seen at Psalm 119:145, where he cries out with all his heart.

That example teaches us that we should approach Jehovah not with fear, but with confidence. The more aware we are of Jehovah’s love, patience, and understanding, the easier it will be to open our hearts to him. He wants us to speak to him as we truly are, with sincerity and trust.

5. Why shouldn't we let negative feelings stop us from praying? Give an example.

We must not let negative feelings hold us back, because Jehovah invites even those who have made serious mistakes to seek him, as Isaiah 55:6, 7 says. He does not want guilt or shame to drive us away, but rather for us to see him as a Father willing to forgive. The psalmist of Psalm 119 also acknowledged his failings and yet turned to Jehovah.

The pilot's example in the paragraph is very clear. If a pilot veers off course, he won't hesitate to ask for help out of embarrassment; on the contrary, he knows he needs guidance. We are the same: when we fail, that's when we most need to pray. Jehovah wants to help us get back on track and give us inner peace, not lead us astray.

HOW YOU CAN MAKE DEEPER PRAYERS

6, 7. What will help us to make deeper sentences? Give an example (see also the note).

Something that greatly helps us to pray more deeply is speaking openly about our feelings and meditating on Jehovah’s qualities. When we reflect on who he is—his love, his compassion, and his patience—it becomes easier for us to open our hearts to him.

For example, Sister Kristine had difficulty seeing Jehovah as a Father because she had suffered violence in her home. She felt that her imperfections would drive him away, but by meditating on Jehovah’s loyal love, she remembered that he lovingly holds her and lifts her up when she falls. That reflection changed the way she prayed.

Similarly, when we think about how Jehovah has lovingly treated us, our prayers become more sincere and profound.

8, 9. What are some benefits of thinking in advance about what to say to Jehovah? Give an example.

Thinking in advance about what we want to say to Jehovah helps us to pray with greater focus and sincerity. We can ask ourselves: What am I struggling with right now? Is there anyone I need to forgive? What decisions require guidance?

This makes our prayers not automatic, but clearer and more specific, as we see at 2 Kings 19:15-19. It also helps us to include important spiritual matters, such as Jehovah's name and his Kingdom.

Aliska’s example illustrates this well. When her husband became ill, she was so distressed that she didn’t know what to say. But by pausing for a few moments to organize her thoughts, her prayers became calmer and more focused. This gave her greater peace and a stronger connection with Jehovah.

10. Why is it good for us to take time to pray? (See also the images.)

It is good to take time to pray, because long prayers allow us to express in more detail what we feel and what we need.

Although short prayers also strengthen our relationship with Jehovah, when we take time to talk more thoroughly, our communication becomes deeper.

Elijah's example clearly illustrates this. He made it a point to pray several times a day and noticed that when he spoke with Jehovah for a while, he felt his relationship with him grow stronger.

Jehovah is never “watching the clock,” as the paragraph says, so we can go on and on without fear. Finding a quiet place, perhaps praying aloud, or setting aside a special time can help us make deep prayer a good habit.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

If we take time to pray quietly, we can better express our concerns more deeply. If we make prayer a habit and speak to Jehovah regularly, we will notice how our relationship with him grows stronger.

ILLUSTRATION

Image series: 1. Before sunrise, a brother meditates, sitting at his desk with an open Bible and a cup of coffee. 2. The sun has risen, and the brother is still sitting at his desk, praying at length.

Find a time and place where you can pray at length. (See paragraph 10.)

MEDITATE ON THE PRAYERS OF BIBLICAL CHARACTERS

11. How does meditating on the prayers of some of Jehovah’s servants from Bible times help us? (See also the box “Do You Identify?”)

Meditating on the prayers and songs recorded in the Bible gives us models for opening our hearts. By reading how Jacob, Solomon, Hannah, David, or Miriam addressed Jehovah with faith, supplication, gratitude, or repentance, we grasp expressions and attitudes that we can adapt to our own prayers.

This doesn't mean mechanically copying words, but rather drawing inspiration from their sincerity and the range of emotions they expressed. Many of those sentences reflect situations we experience today: anguish, gratitude, responsibility, or guilt.

Furthermore, by meditating on Jehovah's response to them, we learn that God listens and acts in various ways. Therefore, biblical prayers expand our spiritual vocabulary and show us that it is normal to speak openly and sincerely to our Father.

12. What questions can we ask ourselves when reading a sentence?

When reading a biblical passage, it's helpful to ask ourselves: Who said this? Under what circumstances? What need or feeling does it express? Is there any similarity to what I'm experiencing now? What practical lessons can I learn? Answering these questions helps to contextualize the text, understand its background, and draw personal applications.

Sometimes you will have to investigate the historical or literary context, but that effort is worthwhile, because it turns reading into a practical tool for prayer.

For example, identifying Hannah's distress or Solomon's plea for wisdom allows us to use similar principles: sincerity, surrender, and focus on Jehovah's will.

13. What is one lesson we learn from Hannah's prayer? (1 Samuel 1:10, 11; see also the picture.)

Hannah's prayer teaches us that we can and should pour out our sorrows before Jehovah with complete sincerity.

Hannah was deeply distressed by her barrenness and by Peninnah's taunts, and in her prayer she expressed her pain intensely and with a promise. Then, as she continued to pray before God, she received comfort and, finally, the answer she had hoped for.

From this we learn to cast our burdens on Jehovah, to clearly describe what troubles us, and to trust that God hears and can work in ways that often exceed our expectations. Sincerity in prayer often lightens the weight of the heart and strengthens faith.

ILLUSTRATION

Series of images: 1. Hannah, filled with grief, looks away as Elkanah plays with two of his sons. 2. Peninnah smiles as she cradles her newborn son in her arms. 3. Hannah prays fervently through her tears. 4. High Priest Eli sits with his arms crossed, watching Hannah.

Hannah opened her heart to Jehovah and told him how bad she felt about being barren and about the constant mockery from Elkanah's other wife. (See paragraph 13.)

14. a) What other lesson can we learn from Ana's example?

Another lesson Hannah's example teaches us is the importance of expressing gratitude after receiving a blessing. She did not forget to give thanks and kept her promise by dedicating Samuel to Jehovah's service.

This teaches us that even when problems persist in some form, focusing on Jehovah's blessings helps us to cope with difficulties.

14. b) How can meditating on the Bible enrich our prayers? (See footnote.)

Meditating on the Bible enriches our prayers because it gives us examples of language and approach. These can include supplication, confession, praise, and thanksgiving.

By observing how God's servants described their needs and acknowledged divine intervention, we learn to balance our prayers between asking, thanking, and praising. This practice prevents prayer from becoming merely a list of requests and transforms it into a dialogue with Jehovah.

15. What do we learn from Jeremiah's prayer? (Jeremiah 12:1).

From Jeremiah we learn that it is legitimate to express frustration and discouragement before Jehovah, always with respect and trust in His justice. Jeremiah complained that the wicked prospered, but he did not go so far as to blame God. Instead, his reflection led him to acknowledge divine righteousness.

This teaches us to be honest in prayer. We can verbalize our difficult questions and feelings without forcing a false faith. By presenting these emotions before Jehovah, we can come to a better understanding of the situation and strengthen our conviction that, even though it may seem unjust now, Jehovah will see and adjust what is needed in his time and in a just manner.

16. What do we learn from the prayer of an exiled Levite? (Psalm 42:1-4; see also the pictures.)

Psalm 42 teaches us to express the pain of separation and anguish frankly, but without losing hope.

The Levite acknowledges his longing for Jehovah's presence and his yearning to be with his brothers. However, in the midst of his emotion, he remembers God's faithfulness and encourages himself, saying: “Why are you downcast, my soul?”

In this way, opening one's heart allows one to reorganize one's feelings. Talking with Jehovah clarifies emotions and provides reasons for hope.

Furthermore, the psalmist reflects on how Jehovah cares even in adversity. Opening our hearts to Him in times of distress helps us regain our balance and see new opportunities to praise Him.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

When we feel lonely or exiled, telling Jehovah about our pain helps us to sort out our emotions and to remember that he cares for us. This strengthens us and enables us to find hope even in affliction.

ILLUSTRATION

Series of images: 1. A Levite prays intensely in a secluded place. 2. A brother in a hospital bed prays to Jehovah with an open Bible in his lap.

The Levite who wrote Psalm 42 opened his heart to God. If we tell Jehovah how we feel, it will be easier to see things from a different perspective. (See paragraph 16.)

17. a) What do we learn from Jonah's prayer? (Jonah 2:1, 2).

The prayer of Jonah that we read in these verses shows that even after failing, we can safely turn to Jehovah. Jonah, in his extreme distress, remembered the words of the Psalms and cried out to God.

17. b) How can some expressions from the Psalms help us when we go through difficult times? (See note).

The expressions in the Psalms serve as our spiritual vocabulary when anguish silences our own words. Memorizing and meditating on these texts allows them to come to mind during a crisis, providing comfort and guidance, because many of their phrases are designed to console, plead, and praise.

In practice, these expressions allow us to communicate deep feelings and trust that Jehovah understands even when our words falter. That is why it is helpful to know and treasure the Psalms.

KEEP PRAYING TO JEHOVAH TO DRAW CLOSER TO HIM

18, 19. How does Romans 8:26, 27 help us if we cannot find the words to express to Jehovah what we feel? Give an example.

Romans 8:26, 27 comforts us with the truth that, when we are so distressed that we cannot find words, the holy spirit intercedes for us with unspoken cries.

Thus, Jehovah accepts our prayers, even when we are unable to formulate them. This does not eliminate the need to pray, but it does give us peace, since we are not solely dependent on our eloquence.

Sister Elena's example illustrates this. Arrested and without the strength to pray, she remembered that biblical prayers or the Spirit's requests can be accepted as if they were her own, and that gave her deep comfort.

20. What will help us prepare our minds to pray when we are under a lot of stress?

To prepare your mind for prayer under stress, it is helpful to use practical methods. Although each person may try different tools until they find the one that calms them most, it can be very helpful to write down what we feel, as David did, or to take a few minutes to mentally organize our worries before speaking to Jehovah.

These actions help us focus and transform prayer into a more conscious dialogue. Having a memorized or written resource makes it easier to express ourselves even when stress clouds our minds.

21. Why can we open our hearts to Jehovah?

We can open our hearts to Jehovah because he knows us perfectly and is pleased when we speak to him honestly. Psalm 139:4 reminds us that he understands our feelings before we express them, yet he still enjoys listening to us and seeing that we trust in him.

Furthermore, the Bible is full of examples of servants who were honest about their emotions and were accepted and helped. By using ideas and expressions from the Bible, we strengthen our prayer and demonstrate trust in divine care.

Therefore, there is no reason to pretend. Jehovah values ​​sincerity and responds with love. Opening our hearts to him draws us closer to him and helps us to bear our burdens.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

What will help us not to be afraid to pray to Jehovah?

It can help us to see Jehovah as a Father and a faithful friend who understands and forgives. Seeing him that way will help us to open our hearts and speak to him without fear.

What can we do to make our prayers deeper?

We can meditate on Jehovah's qualities, organize in writing what we want to say, and take time to pray openly and often.

How does meditating on the prayers of biblical figures benefit us?

Meditating on the prayers of biblical figures gives us models of sincerity and spiritual language, comforts us in distress, and teaches us to combine supplication, gratitude, and praise in our prayers.