A Prayer Breakthrough?
I’ve made prayer confessions HERE and HERE before. It’s tough for me. I recently read my friend Diane’s book Confessions of a Prayer Slacker
One of my biggest struggles with prayer is my inability to stay focused. I find my mind running in all kinds of directions no matter how much I try to concentrate. I can’t tell you how guilty I’ve felt about this over the years.
I’m finishing up John Ortbergs latest book The Me I Want to Be 
When I pray, I end up praying about things I think I should be concerned about: missionaries, world peace and global warming. But my mind keeps wandering toward stuff I am genuinely concerned about. The way to let my talking flow into praying is this: I must pray what is in me, not what I wish were in me.
I love that. I might have discovered a prayer breakthrough.
How’s your prayer life?
I’m the same way…I start to pray and I go all over the place. Ortberg’s statement is fantastic…I’m going to ponder that for a while.
.-= Jason´s last blog ..I don’t want to be real today =-.
Wow, that is a good idea. I struggle with the same focus issue when it comes to prayer. I ask for forgiveness a lot when I realize I am not really praying anymore, but I was intending to. I have ADD when I pray. I am going to try that out and see what happens.
.-= ChrisW(Churchpunk)´s last blog ..Don’t Forget About the Church YOU Lead – Your Family =-.
I’m with you Chris!! Sounds like we’re wired the same.
I love ALL of John Ortberg’s stuff! He really hits the nail on the head with that quote. I am looking forward to reading his latest book.
.-= Kevin M.´s last blog ..Balancing Life: A Father’s Perspective =-.
He’s money!!
I can totally relate. I’ll start out in the right place and then I find myself sidetracked by everything from what I’m making for dinner to remembering to take my car in for an oil change.
I really need to get my hands on that book.
.-= Janice´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
Wow. Great quote! Thank you for sharing this, Pete.
I too have a really hard time staying focused when I pray. One thing that has helped me is to integrate some traditional prayers (from The Book of Common Prayer, St. Francis of Assisi, John Donne, etc.) into my prayer time. These prayers are so beautiful and so focused on the “big picture” that they help me get out of my own head.
Also, I’m a doubter. And we doubters often struggle with prayer. When I’m really struggling, I’ve found that nothing beats The Lord’s Prayer. After all, that’s how Jesus himself taught us to pray!
.-= Rachel H. Evans´s last blog ..Embracing the Not-So-Holy Holy Week =-.
I can be a doubter to. Probably not a great attribute when you’re a pastor but God is growing my faith daily.
Difficult is the way I describe it.
I struggle like you do, to stay focused.
I often get frustrated because I get distracted and just give up.
But I like what Ortberg said there.
.-= Kyle Reed´s last blog ..Amazing Does Not Always Deliver =-.
Sounds like we are all guilty of prayer wondering. In fact, the mind is constantly thinking, can not shut it off. Maybe one reason I wonder around in my prayers.
Thanks for the book references!
.-= Gary Reed´s last blog ..Living your Story? =-.
I love Ortberg’s comment.
We need to be praying about what is on our heart. As we share our heart with God, I believe, He will share his heart with us.
I have not read any of Ortberg’s stuff, but now I will add him to my reading list. Any suggestions as a great one to start with?
.-= Dusty Rayburn´s last blog ..A Letter to You =-.
I read his other book The Life You Always Wanted and he brings this up there as well. Amazing how your perspective changes!
I’ve started to talk about the things that are really weighing on my heart.
Also, I’ve started writing/taking notes as I pray. It doesn’t sound very spiritual but when I look back, it’s really just a prayer journal and I can see how God is working. But in the moment, it keeps me on task!
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Renovation Progress 3/30 =-.
Distraction, focus, ADD. Whatever you want to call it I struggle. So what I have done is praying without ceasing, praying in spurts or popcorn prayers, whatever you want to call it. It comes to mind and heart I speak to Him about it. I figured he created me this way for a reason. Some days focused prayer is not an issue. However, those are rare.
.-= Carol´s last blog ..Consistency and Conditional love =-.
Ditto, Amy. “The Life You Always Wanted” is also my definitive Ortberg book.
I’ll have to check out the one you just read, Pete.
Prayer breakthrough.. I guess mine would be Henri Nouwen’s “The Way of The Heart”. That book helped me break out of the pressure I often felt praying– like I had to always bring my “game” on to Christ, in order for my prayer to be worth giving. Instead, now I actually TELL him the pressure I’m feeling — including the wanderings — I include those too..
Totally missed being here… Feels good to be “back”
Hope you’re doin’ good, Pete!
.-= Faith Barista | Bonnie´s last blog ..Driven By Pressure or God’s Pleasure? =-.
Welcome back. We’ve missed you.
I am a big fan of John Ortberg and enjoy reading his books. I could say before my illness five years ago I was a prayer warrior but now I would consider my prayer life to be scattered and lacking.
The way I look at it, God has burdened someone’s heart to pray for AIDS victims in Africa, missionaries in Indonesia, etc, so I no longer feel guilty when that heart isn’t mine.
Oh man, that’s so good. Thanks for sharing, I can’t wait to get some quiet time and try it. I also hope that if I can get my own petty items into the prayer log that then I can pray for the things I want to pray about-like famines and HIV, etc.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Updates =-.
If I’m not careful, my prayer time turns into some weird stream of consciousness daydream.
It really helps me to write my prayers out, just like letters to Jesus. Seriously, they start with “Dear Jesus” and end with my signature. Seems to be the best way for me to stay focused.
.-= Lee Bezotte´s last blog ..The Greatest =-.
I like it Lee!
Like you I have the struggle sometimes. But when it is good it’s like going to the chiropractor: keeps us aligned with God’s Will.
.-= Michael´s last blog ..The Advantages of Shaving Everyday =-.
Just this afternoon in the midst of praying with a group it dawned on me that my prayers tend to be constructed of things I’ve heard others pray or things I think other want to hear me pray. (This of course applies more directly to group prayer, but I think I do the same in my private prayers as well.) I’ll definitely be paying more attention to this. Thanks!
I’m so guilty of that!!!
This one hits home to me. I am sure its what I am working thru. Last week Pete touched on praying for college kids; I shared a story and then came back to share the praise. It was a small simple request compared to those starving in another country or live in a horrific state. BUT it was on my heart. The lesson to me was it was important to God small as it might be in the grand scheme. In the small my faith is built and then I can go boldly to this throne…. I have a really funny and gross prayer answer today that even includes a photo; if anyone wants to share it with their kids, email me, they will love it!
This is one of my FAVORITE blog stories EVER!!!
That’s really good. I have realized that if I write in a prayer journal I can stay more focused. I pray throughout the day though, just silently and mainly about the stuff that concerns me. Here’s where I’m stuck right now. If we keep praying for something over and over is that a lack of faith? There is this boy who is a friend of my kids’ and I love him like he’s my own. He’s in critical condition after a horrible car accident 11 days ago. I literally am praying for him all of the time. I can’t get him off my mind.
However, my 5 yo prayed for him and totally believes he will be fine. I asked her to pray with me again once after we had prayed the first time and she was totally offended. I want that kind of faith.
So sorry to hear about this Julie!
love Ortberg – his stuff is so practical! i have to journal all of my prayers or else my brain will be all over the place. i also do prayer-minders in the form of little yellow stickie notes and pictures near my computer at work.
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..Up Close and Personal =-.
The bottom of my computer is covered with photos of the 5 people I’ve been praying about finding God for the last 2 years, as well a favorite verses. It’s a great reminder throughout the day to keep them before God, and an encouragement to me to believe that God is working in their lives even if I can’t see it.
Ummmm…how about so not spectacular, despite all my rambly, off-topic attempts, that I pre-ordered Diane’s book! Definitely something I need to read! That comment from Ortberg really hit home!
When will Diane’s book be released? Amazon didn’t have a date.
.-= Christine´s last blog ..Wait, When Did My Driver’s Seat Become a Pulpit? =-.
you know, it’s pretty good. I do some of my best praying in the car. I even talk out loud, so I am sure passersby think I am nuts! But you can get a lot of your heart and mind, when it’s just you and then man upstairs.
.-= ashleynashville3´s last blog ..The Price of Beauty =-.
I usually find during my prayer time my mind start to wander of to other things such as the kids and work. My biggest help was to spend a little time with my wife in prayer together which helped me focus.
Oh and when I get the chance praying with my children also gets me focused.
.-= Gary Hardiker´s last blog ..To Obey is better than sacrifice =-.
LOVE THIS!
.-= diane´s last blog ..A quick video =-.
I love my prayer life (most of the time). It was born years ago and it morphed into something that has become very special to me. During a very difficult time in my life, a wise woman told me to journal daily. I found it hard to do, until I wrote Dear God at the top of the page. Then it became a letter to someone, which for some reason made it easier to write. I have done that every day (give or take a few) for 13 years now. I am very real in my prayers – good, bad, or indifferent. God knows my heart and mind anyway, so better to admit when I am feeling bitterness or resentment toward someone, or struggling with envy or insecurity and then ask for His wisdom, strength, etc to deal with it.
I write out every prayer for the most part. If I try to pray silently in my mind, I get distracted. I end up praying the same half sentence over and over again. Or mid prayer I am thinking about what I am going to cook for dinner.
Praying out loud also helps, but there is nothing like the intimacy I find with God when I write my prayers out. They begin with Dear God and they end with I Love You. I also found it helps me to meet with Him at the same time of day. Early in the morning, with my cup of coffee, and my Bible and journal in hand. It is my most favorite time of day!!!!
Anyways, sorry for the rant!
.-= Chrystie´s last blog ..The Whole Earth Sings =-.
“I have ADD when I pray.” I LOVE IT! That describes me so much when I pray and trains of thought just spin off into the Random Hills.
One thing that I have found to be helpful is to pray OUT LOUD. It doesn’t have to be in my PREACHING VOICE, but just loud enough for me to hear it. Adding the talking and hearing seems to take up enough “CPU cycles” to help me stay focussed!
Great topic, Pete!
.-= Buddy Knight´s last blog ..“Safe Sex” Is Not Proven – The Scientific Truth! =-.
Yep, this resonates with me. Prayer is such a tough thing for me to stay focused with. One thing that entirely changed my prayer life and helped me see it in a new, powerful light was Jim Cymbala’s book ‘Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire’. That’s one of those books that will rock your world and show you the power of prayer.
Ever since then I’ve still struggled, but I’ve come to the point where I just have conversations with God where I talk out loud to Him as if he were literally standing right next to me as opposed to “structured/organized prayer” if that makes any sense. It’s made it a little more practical.
I have trouble focusing during prayer as well. If I’m praying out loud with someone it’s better but my mind wanders constantly. Last year I went through a situation where I was trying to put everything in God’s hands. I decided to not listen to music on my way to work in the morning. Music is a huge part of my life especially Christian music so this was hard for me. It’s about a 30 minute drive. I told myself that I would just “talk” to God in the morning and grow closer to Him. I had to talk to Him outloud in my car because even in silence my mind would wander to all of the things I needed to accomplish that day…I’m a bit of an organized over achiever
. So I removed my music and spent time talking with Him. I still have a hard time staying focused in prayer. I will have to try what John Ortberg states.
Hey Pete, thanks for the plug! Until I followed your link, I didn’t know it was up at Amazon yet. Woo hoo! Christine asked when it releases – should be out in August. Thanks, pastor! And thanks for a great post. You always make me think. And that’s a good thing!
So excited for this book Diane. I know it’s going to help so many people.
What an amazing quote from Ortberg. We should allow ourselves freedom and authenticity in prayer. It makes so much sense. Duh. I just never have looked at it that way before.
.-= Lindsey Nobles´s last blog ..Incomprehensible =-.
I’m so glad you wrote this post today. It sums up my prayer slacking in a nutshell…here’s my confession: I pray several times throughout the day (i’ll admit though, I’m still learning how to pray correctly), but most of my one-on-one time with God comes when I’m lying bed. I’ll silently pray for those I love, those struggling, those in pain, etc. and then I fall asleep….it hasn’t always been this way….just lately. I will get 5 minutes into my prayer and suddenly I wake myself up wondering why I didn’t finish my prayer….and then I start again, only to fall asleep again….THEN, there’s my multi-tasking prayers….those are the ones where I start to pray and suddenly a thought pops in my head and takes all of my attention from God to that thought. What you wrote about praying what is in you, not what you want in you is exactly what I needed to hear…in more ways than one! HA. Thanks Pete for showing me that I’m not the only prayer slacker.
I’ll keep you in my prayers as always.
.-= Leza ´s last blog ..Puppies & Flowers =-.
I’ve always felt the same about my prayer life. When I take the time in the morning when the house is quiet my mind wanders to everything I need to get done that day. I’ve done a prayer journal in the past and just written out my prayer and that helps me stay focused. I really need to get back in the habit of doing that again. Thanks for sharing that quote.
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Project Life March 22 – 28 =-.
I have ADD when it comes to praying too. In February, I started a prayer folder and this has helped me tremendously! I have pages numbered at the top and then on each page I photos of people that I want to pray for that day. I have pages titled “Daily,” “Weekly,” and “Healing” too. Now, I pray for these things in my folder first which seem to help my mind to get focused and then I can keep it focused a bit easier for my other parts of my praying. In the front of the folder, I have a “pencil pouch” with sticky notes, pens, and tape so that I can easily add new things.
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Remember the Alamo? =-.
“I must pray what is in me, not what I wish were in me.”
In one way I like that because it affirms that God accepts us where we are, but in another way, it’s hard because if we are not immersed (and I seldom am) in scripture we aren’t where God wants to take us – into agreement with Him where our prayers will be His desires and delights.
Thanks.
.-= Abbie´s last blog ..Big spender =-.