August 23:Prayer Choice and Prayer Conflict

Since I have already posted twice today, I promise to be brief. It's enough to say that prayer is the most important work you will ever do, but it is definitely among the hardest work you will ever undertake. Although for many years I have started my prayers each day before I'm even fully awake, I still struggle to keep focused. There is no other task I do where my mind wants to wander as much as when I pray.

Realizing that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16), I have to resort to special tricks to keep me focused when there is an urgent need for prayer. I pace, pray out loud, sing my prayers, and pray from scripture so that my mind will stay on task. Please let me know if you have any other tried and true ways to resist distractions.

Jesus, it is certainly true that "prayer is an effort of the will." Help us be willing to fight the never-ending battle of "overcoming mental wool-gathering." Remind us more often to keep a constant dialog of prayer in our minds so that we are more in tune with the voice of the Holy Spirit.