Sometimes you might fall off track in your prayer time -- either because you are discouraged or because your mind isn’t still before God. Your prayers may sound something like this: “Dear God, thank You for this wonderful day... I wonder if I unplugged the iron... oh... thank You for this day and that great conversation with my boss... did I turn in that last part of the project?…” Have you ever been there? Today, John Eldredge shares what he does to stay focused during his prayer time. It will help you get back on track, too!
"Distraction and Prayer" by John Eldredge
I have the hardest time staying focused in prayer.
I know I’m not alone in this. My mind wanders; I get distracted. I start out with my thoughts and heart turned towards God, but somewhere along the way I wander off. Most of the time it's stuff I have to do today, or people I’m worried about. I’m praying along and suddenly I realize that though I have kept saying words in prayer, my heart and mind are a million miles away. It’s embarrassing. Like inviting someone over to talk, sitting down in the living room together, and then suddenly you realize you’ve been staring at the TV and ignoring your company.
It’s also ineffective, in the sense that it really does derail prayer. What to do?
Years ago I was sitting under a man’s teaching in my church. He was teaching about prayer. And of all the things he said, the one thing that’s helped me most was this one thought: When you realize you are distracted, don’t just plow ahead. Stop, go back, and pick up again with the prayer at the last point in which you were engaged. Sort of like wandering in the woods; don’t just keep going. Stop, back up, retrace your steps, go back and pick up the trail where you last left it, and then carry on.
I find I have to do this a lot, and I find it’s helped me a whole lot. It brings me back to God, centers me. It makes prayer far more meaningful, far more intentional. And therefore, far more effective. I meant to share this in the series I did awhile back on The Hope of Prayer, but I forgot. Or got distracted (!). And it’s been on my heart to offer it to you ever since. So there you go. Hope it’s helpful.
God, You are more important than anything that's going on in my life. I’m sorry that I get distracted in our conversations. Help me to stay on track, and make me aware of the times my mind drifts so I can rejoin You in prayer.
Am I too tired, busy, or distracted when I pray? How I can make sure my mind is on God when I pray instead of on everything else?
Keeping a prayer list or prayer journal helps you to stay focused. Start a prayer journal in which you list your concerns, or even write out your prayers to get back in the practice of paying attention when you talk to God.
So far, you’ve learned a lot about having an effective prayer life. You’ve learned how to be alone with God, how to pray Scripture, how to be persistent in your prayers, and how to stay focused. These are all great things you can do to help your prayer time become more meaningful, but remember that prayer isn't a one-way street. It's also a time to listen to God. The next post will help you evaluate your prayer time so you can make sure it isn’t just a list of your needs.
