When busy life gets in the way, you might find your prayer life slipping. Here are a few tips on how to make time and prioritize daily prayer despite the distraction and busyness of life!
Why is Daily Prayer Necessary?
The short answer: Prayer is the vehicle for daily dialogue with God. And this is so special! It gives us an opportunity to share our lives, express gratitude, and receive support from Him.
For many, daily prayer can seem difficult. There’s a lot going on in our world today, and we can get busy. For those who have been walking with the Lord for many years, daily prayer can become stale. But praying daily is the best way to speak to God. When we don’t, our relationship with God isn’t as strong as it can be. Imagine not speaking to a loved one or close friend regularly. That relationship wouldn’t be so strong either!
But how do make prayer a priority in our lives? Here are some tips to help you on your journey to refocus on daily prayer.
Shift Your Perspective
The first thing that needs to happen is to shift your perspective. Daily prayer can seem like a chore. But instead of thinking of this as something we have to do, think of it as something we get to do. What a beautiful thing it is to be able to talk and share our life with God! Our God is so good, and He wants to hear from us to be close to us. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” James 4:8. Daily prayer can help us be close to Him, and that’s something special, not something boring.
Know Where to Begin
Once you shift your perspective, you might be struck with the thought: “So…now what do I do?” If you’re new to prayer, it might be hard to figure out what to say or where to begin. If you’re getting back into daily prayer, it might be overwhelming to decide where to start praying as you may feel the need to pray over everything and everyone each day.
Above all, prayer shouldn’t be stressful. The purpose of prayer is communion and conversation between us and God. It is supposed to bring peace and freedom, not stress and confusion. If you’re at a loss for words, pray through the words of the Lord’s Prayer. When praying, you can think about each line deeply and offer up specific details in prayer. For example, when praying “give us this day our daily bread,” we can pause and ask God for specific needs.
When you’re overwhelmed, remember that you don’t have to pray for everything each day. Instead, try and choose one area to focus on when you pray. One day, pray about your friends, the next, your marriage, and the next day, your community.
Schedule Time
If you’re having trouble finding time for daily prayer, schedule it into your routine. You schedule time for exercise to support your physical health, so schedule time for prayer to support your spiritual health.
For it to become part of your routine, you need to figure out how to work it in best. Many people like to have an early morning prayer so they have quiet time with the Lord and start their day on the right foot. But if you’re up in the middle of the night with kids on a regular basis, an early morning prayer might not be the best fit for you. Spend some time examining your day and see when would be a good time to make daily prayer a regular activity. Once it becomes ingrained in your routine, it will become essential to the success of your day – like breathing.
Experiment with It
Prayer doesn’t have to just be sitting quietly, hands clasped. Daily prayer can be much more than that, so experiment with different ways so you can find what suits you best.
Maybe you might like writing down areas of focus for your prayer. You can write down a list of what you want to pray for and then pray through that list. This can also be a wonderful way to go back and see answered prayers. Or maybe when you’re doing your daily chores, like making the bed or loading the dishwasher, you don’t let your mind wander, but you instead do your daily prayer.
Share Your Habit with Others
It can be more meaningful to know when you’re doing your daily prayer, you’re not alone. So share this habit with others, and get them on board! Share the details of this habit with your spouse, your friends, or those you’re close to in your congregation and see if they will participate with you. These people can also help hold you accountable (and you for them). Having someone hold you accountable can be a great incentive to show up to prayer time consistently. And, of course, heading to church service on Sunday can help you keep the habit up, too.
We Invite You to Visit Christ Lutheran Church
Daily prayer is a great way to help strengthen your relationship with God. But so is regularly attending worship service! We’d love to have you visit Christ Lutheran Church in Montrose, Colorado. We teach the Bible as God’s unchanging Word. Jesus’ salvation is the focus. His love and care for us guide our prayer lives. We would love to have you plan a visit or connect with us. God bless you as you pray to Him and praise Him!
