Struggling with Prayer

I used to struggle with prayer. That’s because my idea about spending time with God was faulty. It was all about talking to God: telling him how wonderful he is, verbalizing the needs of people on my prayer list, and asking God to change things for them. Honestly, that was boring and burdensome; so I didn’t spend much time at it.

My understanding of prayer changed through the spiritual direction training program I completed a year ago. That training required me to spend time in silence and solitude—simply being with God. I found that to be delightful. That joyous experience changed my concept of prayer. Now for me, prayer is simply intentionally being in the presence of God.

I discovered that being in God’s presence—in silence and solitude, waiting and listening for God—prepares me (eventually) to tell God how much I enjoy him, and to convey my concerns and the concerns of those on my prayer list.

Now the work of prayer is more about preparing to be in God’s presence. And that work is delightful, for I get to meet with God. Here is how I get ready at home. It’s not unlike getting ready to be with God at church. This routine may work for you too.

• Close the door: Jesus’ instruction to “go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father,” means that the space chosen for prayer becomes a sacred space.
• Remove distractions: Turn off, or remove, electronic devices. You may need to close your eyes to shut out distractions.
• Prepare the atmosphere: Light a candle, or use a cross or an icon, to enrich your sacred space.
• Sit comfortably, but not so comfortably that you fall asleep.
• Use a timer: Wondering about the time is a distraction. Let your clock do the work.
• Begin with Scripture: The Daily Office Lectionary in The Book of Common Prayer (pp. 933-1001) is a wonderful resource.
• Use a prayer-word or a prayer-phrase to stay focused: Look for it from the Scripture portion you just read. Begin to repeat that special truth rhythmically so that it captures your attention.
• Enjoy being in God’s presence. See what happens. 

I still struggle with prayer, but not so much now. Prayer has become a delight!