Prayer
is perhaps the one spiritual discipline that most people feel guilty about. We
think that if we really love God prayer should flow out of us without effort or
discipline. That’s not the case, not even the case for Jesus’ first followers.
The reality is, prayer doesn’t come naturally and it doesn’t happen automatically.
Prayer
is learned behavior. Nobody is born an expert at it. No one ever masters it.Thomas
Merton, in Contemplative Prayer, says, “We do not want to be beginners. But let
us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else but beginners
all our life!”
So
how do I begin? . . .
When
and where should I pray? Try to choose the same time each day to have a focused
time of prayer. What time of day is best? Well, when are you at your best? Give
God your best time. Also, pay attention to the setting where you’re going to
pray. Find a place where you will be free of distractions. Jesus had a time and
a place (see Mark 1:35)
How
long should I pray? The way to begin is slowly. I advise 5 minutes a day. This
may feel impossibly short, but it is better to get a short time established
than to begin with a longer one that you give up later as being impractical . .
. Set aside the same small block of time day after day. It can be done.” When
you are tempted to quit, don’t play games with the pattern. Don’t say, “I’ll
skip today and do ten minutes tomorrow.” And, if you do miss a day, don’t waste
time feeling guilty about it. Go back to five minutes the next day. As habits
are formed, then let desire for more increase the time
Preparing
to pray- when you go to pray, thoughts jump around in our mind.” So, at the
beginning of prayer it is important to take a few minutes to “allow the mind to
settle down.” Maybe do this by taking a few deep breaths and allowing your mind
to slow down. Perhaps focus your attention on a physical object, like a flow or
a lit candle. You may simply want to whisper “Heavenly Father” a few times until
your mind is ready to go deeper.
How about
choosing a different area of your life to pray for each day of the week? For
instance, on Monday I pray for my family, on Tuesday I pray for my work & relationships, on Wednesday I pray for
my neighbors, on Thursday I pray for my
Church & Parent, on Friday for my wife and Children, on Saturday for my
Pastors and my counselors, on Sunday for my Country etc
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