Cultivating a Habit of Prayer

I will let you in on a little secret. Some days I don't want to pray. I'm tired or don't feel well or the list of items on my "things to do" list has reached such epic proportions that taking the time to pray seems like a true imposition. Sometimes I just want to do something else – read the paper, listen to music, etc. And yet, I pray anyway.

Prayer should be done out of love, not obligation. Love, however, sometimes requires great effort. Just like love between human beings, a relationship between God and us requires communication and time. It requires putting in the effort even when the feeling isn't there.

I know I need to pray. When I don't pray, my day is a mess. I'm short-tempered and restless. I don't want to do my daily work and when I try, I can't figure anything out. Prayer puts me in line with God. It helps me to do His will, instead of following my own floundering ideas. God is always speaking. Prayer allows me to dial in so that I can hear.

There are days when prayer will definitely be a struggle. If you try, you can always find an excuse not to. I invite you to do it anyway. Make it a habit that you do no matter what. Your life will be better for it.