Am I Enjoying Prayer?
Read Luke 11:1-4.
I can't remember a time I didn't pray. I grew up in a Christian home and prayer was always a part of our lives. We prayed at bedtime, we prayed at meals, we prayed at church. Somewhere along the way, I learned about having a personal prayer life, and even further along the way, I learned that prayer is not just about asking for things. Prayer is about building a relationship.
So if the question was, "Do I pray?" I could answer easily: YES! If it was, "Have I prayed today," I could answer easily: YES! I pray nearly every day. God and I talk often, sometimes when I'm just wanting to talk and sometimes when I'm rather angry with him. But the question for today is not whether I pray. The question is whether I enjoy prayer.
That little word "enjoy" puts a different spin on the practice of prayer. Though prayer is a natural practice of the Christian, it is not easy. So many other things tug at our attention and our time. We find it hard to even communicate with people we can see right in front of us, but to talk with someone who is invisible, who seems silent, who we're not always sure is even there? Prayer is hard. Prayer is challenging, especially when we get beyond "asking for things" to "communing with God."
So, do I enjoy prayer? I'll answer honestly (as I'm trying to do with all of these questions): sometimes. When I am able to slow down, when I take the time to focus, when I do more than rattle off a list of requests, I find I can enjoy the presence of my Lord and Savior. I enjoy prayer. But that takes more time than I think I have—not more time than I actually have, but more time than I think I have. I remember it being said of (I believe) Martin Luther that, on especially busy days, he would get up earlier so that he could spend more time in prayer. I, far too often, do the opposite.
I want to enjoy prayer. I want to savor time in prayer. I want to be able to shut out the busy-ness of the world and enter fully into the presence of God. That's my goal; that's my desire. Am I enjoying prayer? Not yet, but God willing, I am moving in that direction.
What about you? What's your honest experience with prayer?
I can't remember a time I didn't pray. I grew up in a Christian home and prayer was always a part of our lives. We prayed at bedtime, we prayed at meals, we prayed at church. Somewhere along the way, I learned about having a personal prayer life, and even further along the way, I learned that prayer is not just about asking for things. Prayer is about building a relationship.
So if the question was, "Do I pray?" I could answer easily: YES! If it was, "Have I prayed today," I could answer easily: YES! I pray nearly every day. God and I talk often, sometimes when I'm just wanting to talk and sometimes when I'm rather angry with him. But the question for today is not whether I pray. The question is whether I enjoy prayer.
That little word "enjoy" puts a different spin on the practice of prayer. Though prayer is a natural practice of the Christian, it is not easy. So many other things tug at our attention and our time. We find it hard to even communicate with people we can see right in front of us, but to talk with someone who is invisible, who seems silent, who we're not always sure is even there? Prayer is hard. Prayer is challenging, especially when we get beyond "asking for things" to "communing with God."
So, do I enjoy prayer? I'll answer honestly (as I'm trying to do with all of these questions): sometimes. When I am able to slow down, when I take the time to focus, when I do more than rattle off a list of requests, I find I can enjoy the presence of my Lord and Savior. I enjoy prayer. But that takes more time than I think I have—not more time than I actually have, but more time than I think I have. I remember it being said of (I believe) Martin Luther that, on especially busy days, he would get up earlier so that he could spend more time in prayer. I, far too often, do the opposite.
I want to enjoy prayer. I want to savor time in prayer. I want to be able to shut out the busy-ness of the world and enter fully into the presence of God. That's my goal; that's my desire. Am I enjoying prayer? Not yet, but God willing, I am moving in that direction.
What about you? What's your honest experience with prayer?
Thank you for this...
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