Someone please raise their hand, stand up and shout, and let me know that I am NOT alone in my struggle with prayer! I am just convinced I can’t be the only one! Let me know if this sounds like you. You sit down with a cup of tea (or coffee), perhaps a journal or an app on your device that lists the things I earnestly want to pray for. You have a whole set up in mind that includes a desire to praise God for His glory, to thank Him for his blessings, a time to confess your heart, and even time for the… PLEASE DEAR GOD HELP ME! It all is well and good intentioned.
So you find a cozy spot free of distractions and you fold your hands, or lift them or… whatever you do. You start off… Oh God in Heaven I want to lift your name in praise and worship as you are the most Holy. Or something similar and then you’re all like… geeze I need to use the bathroom! And then on your way back you figure you outta toss the laundry in. Ok… back to prayer…. where was I? Oh yes, I praise you Jesus… hmm… my coffee is empty I better go fill it up.
Ok, so HOPEFULLY this is a BIT of an exaggeration. Or maybe it isn’t. I don’t know. But I do know this. I am SO STINKING distractible when it comes to praying that I end up feeling ashamed and I mostly give up before I really get started! I begging you all to let me know I’m not alone in this!
Can I confess? It gets worse after God decides NOT to answer a prayer that I begged for with all of my heart. My goodness I am like a child! I don’t get my way so I walk off and do my own thing. Pouting probably too! God help me! Then I feel guilty. Next my brain convinces me that I’m just such a mess up so I had best just not bother praying at all because why on earth would God even want to listen to me in such a sorry state.
I have had to hide this verse in my heart as it is my motivation to keep coming back to God time again, no matter what a sorry mess I am.
God wants our hearts no matter what. So this is a reminder to myself and to you, that even if you consider yourself a prayer failure much like I feel I am, pull yourself up and go back to God. He wants us no matter our messiness.
Speak Your Mind