Answer: Many people find it challenging to keep their prayer life on track. So you’re not alone.Your mind could be wandering for a variety of reasons. Maybe you’re thinking of 12 to 14 other things while you’re trying to pray. Maybe you’re feeling rushed— “I have only 18 seconds to pray right now.” Or maybe you don’t have much to say to God: “And bless the missionaries and colporteurs across the seas—again.”
I’ve found that setting aside some time to pray really helps. If you aren’t accustomed to praying, set aside two to five minutes, but carve out 10-15 minutes in case your conversation starts to focus and flow.
Some people write down their prayers in a prayer journal. Others sit quietly and wait until the chaos in their head slows down. I’ve discovered that praying with my eyes open helps me focus better than praying with them closed.
You mentioned that your mind sometimes replays a song you were just listening to. Why not lead into your prayer time by listening to a song that would direct your mind to God? Or read a passage of Scripture. Then pray your way through it, using it as an outline for your prayer. Are you one of those people who likes lists? Perhaps a prayer list could give your prayer time structure and progression.
If you’re praying in a sort of free-form way, you can expect your mind to wander. But use that wandering as part of your prayer. For example, you might be praying about a test in algebra that’s causing you anxiety. Then your mind jumps to Cathy, who always does so well on tests. Then thinking of Cathy reminds you of that funny-faced person you saw on TV the other night. Your mind then jumps to why you're a night person and so are your friends. Then you wonder what in the world you were praying about in the first place.
If your mind is jumping around like that, pray about the algebra test. Pray for Cathy and celebrate her success, and ask God to remove your jealousy about her high scores. And when you think about that funny-faced person on TV, thank God for His sense of humor, and pray that you won’t laugh at the expense of other people. And as far as you being a night person, remember that God is the master and owner of the day and the night (see Psalm 74:16). So thank Him for both, and that you don't have to be the master of either. And you've just prayed quite a bit!
A form of prayer I’ve come to appreciate the past few years is praying through the Psalms. I didn’t write them, but they often express my hopes and desires, my frustrations and fears, my confusion and anger. In fact, sometimes I’ll mark a certain psalm for good times or another one for bad times, etc. I’ve found that The Message is a fresh paraphrase that states a psalm more like my guts would say it than like perfect poetry. Here’s an example from Psalm 32:1, 2:
“Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—you get a fresh start, your slate’s wiped clean.
“Count yourself lucky—God holds nothing against you and you’re holding nothing back from him.”*
As far as whether or not you’re praying “right,” that’s almost like wondering if your conversation with one of your friends went right. The good news is that you can be more open and honest with God than you can be with your closest friend. It’s not a matter of some magical formula or chant. Remember, God’s already listening. So keep talking!
*Texts credited to Message are from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
