Sometimes,
prayer is the divine experience
of basking in Love,
like sunshine.
Other times,
prayer is the divine labor
of chasing fear like rats
out of the kitchen.
When we begin to cultivate a prayer life, we often quit because we think we’re doing something wrong when we discover how hard it is. We know God loves us, so we expect prayer feel good all the time and lighten our burdens.
While prayer can be peaceful and certainly does improve the quality of our lives in the long run – it is normal to struggle in prayer, especially at first. As beginners, spending time in direct communication with God may make us more aware of all the things about ourselves that stop us from having a closer relationship with Him in the first place. Our subconscious fears, wounds from the past, negative belief systems, weaknesses, flaws, mistakes and griefs may come up to the surface for us to process in the light of God’s love.
Though we’d rather not deal with these difficult aspects of ourselves, we’re better off directly addressing them than allowing them to indirectly sabotage the choices we make in life. When we give Him a chance, God shines a light on all the things we don’t want to see about ourselves, so we can begin the process of healing and fully claiming the freedom He promised us.
Instead of thinking of prayer as not working when we don’t get the results we want right away, it’s healthier to think of prayer as a workout for the soul. No one expects exercise to be easy! Prayer is the same way. When we look at intimacy with God as a worthwhile goal, we are willing to work hard to truly be in alignment with His Truth about our lives.
Though mystical encounters with the Lord, miracles and divine intervention are normal occurances for believers, so is the arduous task of sticking with prayer through ups and downs. Rather than look at prayer as an opportunity to get what we want from God when we want it, we should look at prayer as embarking on the spiritual adventure of a lifetime in order to more deeply experience our human nature and God’s divine nature.
One thing’s for sure: Persevering in prayer is worth the effort it takes! And Jesus will be calling us to ever deeper levels of prayer, with all the rewards and challenges it has to offer.
What is your experience with prayer? Do you take time in silence to connect with the Lord’s presence inside of you? Do you find it to be a rewarding or challenging experience? Comment below, and I’ll be delighted to provide encouragement and keep you in my prayers.
Lord, give us the grace of a true desire to connect with You in prayer and meditation. Help us persevere in prayer through trials to develop a strong and lasting relationship with You that positively impacts the world around us. Heal us with Your love, and strengthen us for our spiritual journeys. Give us the courage to fully embrace who we are in our humanity and who You are in Your Divinity. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.