You can be mostly right part of the time or partly right most of the time, but you can’t be totally right all of the time.
You can be mostly right part of the time or partly right most of the time, but you can’t be totally right all of the time.
Why is prayer so hard?
”…pray constantly.” – 1 Thess. 5:17
Situation Explained
Do you need to pray more? Join the club.
Solution Offered
I’ve traveled thousands of miles this summer. I’ve been to numerous events in a variety of states. I’ve spoken to and prayed with more people than I can count, and do you know what? Everybody I talk to needs the same thing…
Prayer.
It’s what all of us have in common as Christians, no matter how strong or weak we feel in our faith, no matter how close or far from God wefeel, almost every person I talk to admits or declares, “I need to pray more”.
Prayer isn’t complicated but it is tough. Prayer takes effort. Prayer takes discipline. Prayer isn’t about the perfect words or the perfect schedule. Prayer is about desiring the perfect relationship with God and trusting that He’ll fill in the gaps for our imperfections.
There are a ton of reasons we don’t pray more. Here is a brief list of some of the most popular:
• We’re not in a state of grace
• We’re in a habit of putting other things first
• We don’t really trust God
• We think prayer has to be formal
• We are easily distracted
• We don’t know where to start
This is not a complete list, but most of the people I talk to say that one or all of these reasons contribute to their not praying more or enough or at all.
If you’re not in a state of grace (if you have serious sin that you haven’t reconciled yet), it is more difficult to pray. Sin deafens our ears, blinds our eyes and hardens our hearts. If you haven’t been to confession in a while, tell Jesus you know you need to go, and then get there. That admission and action is the first step to a great prayer life.
If you’re not in the habit of praying, we can solve that. Keep reading.
If you don’t trust God, it’s because you don’t really know Him as well as you need to…you might know things about Him, but trust comes from intimacy and intimacy comes through prayer. The more you pray, the easier it will become to trust Him. Keep reading.
If you think personal prayer has to be formal - don’t, because it doesn’t. Scripture reminds us it ain’t about the words of our mouths (Romans 8:26) but the words of our hearts. If you’re easily distracted, me too. What were we talking about? Oh ya, prayer. Keep reading.
If you don’t know where to start…that’s why I’m typing this, so let me share what works for me…since I failed for more years than you’ve probably been alive. Learn from my mistakes.
How do you “pray constantly” like this Scripture verse says? I mean, you have to work and eat and sleep. Didn’t St. Paul know that?
Of course he did. What he was telling the people in Thessalonica is the same thing he’d tell you today. Don’t forget that everything you do, if you offer it up for God’s glory, can be a form of prayer. If God is on your mind, if Christ is in your heart and if the Holy Spirit is guiding your actions, steps and words…anything can be a prayer.
Make your morning routine of waking up and getting ready a form of prayer. Talk to God during it. Offer your day up to Him as you’re showering or getting dressed, drinking coffee or having breakfast.
Make your morning drive a time of prayer. Change what music you listen to or, better yet, drive in silence. Pray for those in traffic who are rude. Pray for those in cars not as nice as yours, or at bus stops or on foot. Use the time to grow in the virtues of temperance and patience.
Make your school day or your work day forms of prayer. Pray for those who annoy you. Submit to authority with respect and obedience; there is grace in obedience, you’ll grow from it. Work hard. Stay focused. Constantly check your attitude. “Put on” Christ, which means…do everything in your power to be like Jesus. Let the Holy Spirit work and speak through you.
Make your meals a prayer. Begin with grace, sure, but treat your body as a temple. Eat healthy. Use that time to grow in fellowship with those you eat with. If you’re eating alone, use that time to pray or grow in knowledge through reading. Remain mindful, with each bite, of those who go without food and basic necessities like water, each day. Pray for them and pray in thanksgiving for all those blessings you take for granted each day.
Make your time at home more of a prayer. Engage those you live with in more meaningful conversations. Don’t go to bed unless you know what the people in your house are struggling with or needs prayers for that day. Create more prayerful spaces in your home or your bedroom. Put things up that remind you to pray and that guide your thoughts and heart back to Christ.
Make your bedtime ritual a form of prayer. Reflect back on your day. Look at where you fell short, where you failed to show kindness or mercy to others. Look at where you need to improve tomorrow and ask the Holy Spirit for the strength to do better. Turn off the t.v. and go to bed earlier. Spend some time talking to God, yes, but also listening to God (not music) as you fall asleep.
These are the simple ways you “pray constantly”. Try to get into this rhythm and before you know it, you’ll be praying more in a day than you used to in a month.
You come from God, so your whole life is designed to be a prayer - the sooner you realize it, the easier your prayer will become. It’s pretty amazing that St. Paul could tell us so much in just two little words, huh?
Salvation Given
”…pray constantly.” – 1 Thess. 5:17
Ready, set…pray.
Achieve the attitude-You have the same attitude as Christ.
Become the beatitude-It is no longer I who lives but Christ in me.
Cultivate the consciousness of Christ-Be still and know that I am God.
Develop the discipline-If you want to follow me you must turn from your selfish ways and take up your cross.
Emulate the eternal-Be holy as I am holy.
Fight the flow-Don’t copy the behavior of the world.
Grasp the Grace-Lord who are we that you should notice us.
Harbor the Hope-Await the mercy of the Lord.
Imitate God-In everything you do, live a life full of love.
Jump-start the joy-Rejoice in the Lord.
Kindle the Kindness-Share each others burdens.
Live the life-Remain faithful to the things you have been taught.
Mimic the Maker
Nullify the Naughty-Don’t sin by letting anger control you.
Open the Heart
Preach the Word of God
Question and encourage
Remember He is with you always
Stomp Satan-We will crush Satan under our feet.
Taste the Truth-I am the way the truth anf the life.
Understand His Laws.
Voice of Victory-Shout joyful praises to God.
Walk with our God.
Xalt Him-Let us tell of the Lord’s greatness.
Yahweh-God, Savior, Father
Zero in on the truth and share it.
I just read an interesting article, of which the basis of this originated from an article written in Psychology Today, and I want to share a condensed version with you.
The author says and I quote, “Through studies she has found that a large number of parents over the past few years have been focusing their skills, time, and energies to protect their teens from hardships while simultaneously turning up the pressure to achieve more.” The result is a culture of teens who are fragile, depressed, anxious, overcompliant and unable to think on their feet.
She says, parents want to make their teens happy, but happiness doesn’t come without challenge, risk and growth. So according to her, stop wrapping your teen in bubble wrap-it makes it harder for them.
What do you see with your own teen? I can see some connections as a youth minister. With this new awakening of information, she does give us some practical ways that can help tackle this crippling trend.
1. Let them play… Play looks like a waste of time because it’s not goal-directed. But play is critical neurologically. Play makes them more attentive, and play helps them navigate better.
2. Eat dinner together five nights a week… Meals grease the skids for connection and conversation.
3. Learn how to criticize them… Instead of offering ‘your’ performance judgement, ask them to evaluate their own performance.
4. Take achievement pressure off of them… Teens’ achievements may or may not impact the world for good, but who they’re becoming certainly will. Success hinges less on getting things right than how you handle getting it wrong.
5. Teach them how to tolerate the discomfort of challenges, failures, and boredom... We are sort of wired to remove obstacles from their lives instead of proactively drag obstacles into their path. We already know that you don’t get physically stronger without resistance-right.
6. Encourage your teens to problem-solve and take risks… It’s crucial to surround them with creative problem-solving questions. They need to know that there’s more than one right way to do almost anything.
This all came about because of an alarming increase in the number of college students with serious mental health issues.
This article stopped me in my tracks. It may do the same for you… I know one thing for sure, the teens matter in my world. I want a balanced, faith-filled life for them, don’t you?
I just recently read this and wanted to share with you this thought…
“You are not alone. In the midst of school, and sports and life just know that a whole team, the tribe called the Trinity, goes with you. You never sit at your school cafeteria table alone. The Father is right across from you to hear your prayers, the Son is at his right hand to defend your soul (From you know who), and the Holy Spirit is sitting next to you to encourage, coach, and strengthen you. The Trinity is in and around you-you’re not alone.”
This is a reminder that the young men’s bible study is changing days from Monday to Tuesday beginning this fall… check the calendar, bulletin or any bulletin board for specific times and dates.
This is open to all young men in grades 8 thru 12!
Summer softball is over… long hot summer nights, swinging the bat trying to connect to help the team along. Meeting new people. Making new friends. Talking about places visited, experiences had with family and friends. All a memory. This past Sunday there was a challenge made, a game was played against the teens and the adults of St. Mark. Lots of yelling, excitement and above all fun was had by all! We ended with a barbecue… over eighty people stayed to enjoy a meal, play some games, talk, reminisce, and laugh together. What a great time! A special thank you to our coaches for a job well done. We look forward to next year and the possibilities…
Our Teens Need You-
* You know God and God knows You.
* Help our teens really know God as Creator, Comforter, and Friend.
* Consider sharing your gifts with them.
* Your own experience with God will call you into ministry with our young church.
* We hope and pray that you will call us to share in this remarkable journey!
Think about it… #972-578-9583 Suite 207
Limbo, play this on the grass. Get an old broom stick and have two kids hold each end up high. Have your friends go under it, bending backwards as needed. The pole should be lowered each time around. The last one to crawl under without hitting the ground is the winner.
Ghosts in the Graveyard, is a good hiding game as it starts to get dark. Half of the players hide, while others wait at the base and count. One, Two and so on… up to Twelve. Then they are off to find the ghosts. Those hiding can jump out at any time and try to tag the others. Those who are tagged must be the new ghosts.
Flashlight Tag, one kid is it and he counts while the others hide. When he searches with the flashlight on, he captures the other players by shining the flashlight on them and calling out their name.
Are you going on to College?
Association of Students at Catholic Colleges CatholicCollegeStudents.org
Brotherhood of Hope BrotherhoodOfHope.org
Cardinal Newman Society CardinalNewmanSociety.org
Catholic Campus Ministry Association CCManet.org
Compass CollegeCompass.org
Fellowship of Catholic University Students FocusOnline.org
National Catholic Student Coalition CatholicStudent.org