Confessions of a Poor Prayer
I believe in prayer and the power of prayer. I believe it is meant to be like the air that we breathe. God, I am certain, wants our lives to be a living prayer. My problem is that as long as I have been at it, I still feel like an infant trying to take its first steps. Just when I think that I'm in a good rhythm with my prayer life it seems to fall apart. I must confess that some of my quiet times in the morning--times when I like to read, pray, and meditate--are really quiet. I fall asleep, in other words. Sometimes I am so sleepy when I read that I can't remember a word that I have read. Not infrequently I will tell someone that I will pray for them and several days later I realize that I have forgotten to pray for that person. Sometimes I am so agitated or distracted that I can't concentrate. And so it goes. In the end I comfort myself by falling back on God's grace, knowing that God rather than being angry with me, misses the time we could have spent together. I am also aware that God is far greater than my fleeting awareness and that God is patient. Do you struggle in your own prayer life? Do you have any tips that might help me or others grow in our prayer life?
posted by UCC Medfield at 5:45 AM
2 Comments:
Thanks, that lets me feel a little less guilty I've forgotten something. lh
I think what is most important as far as praying is setting the intention to spend that time with God. I struggle as well, but when I begin my prayer time, I always tell God I am desiring to spend that time with him alone. Some days are more successful for me than others, but I always like to set the intention that I am going to shut everything else out and devote it to God.
I haven't tried it yet, but I think it may also be helpful to pray in new ways and places, such as outside in nature or any place that will shake us out of our routine and awaken us to the joy it is possible to share with God.
I think God is happy when we pray, whether or not we are "successful".
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