Most days, though, I cannot make my intention — focused, deep, persistent prayer — match reality — a holy hour where I spend 58 minutes thinking about those fried cheese curds from Wisconsin.
The thing about our faith is that it is ever-changing and always evolving — that includes our prayer life, too. Sometimes it is in these prayer ruts that we are able to discover new ways to pray and deepen our relationship with God. And sometimes where we find Him is in the most boring, mundane moments in our lives.
I was always told that prayer was important but whenever I showed up in prayer, I walked away perplexed and frustrated. I knew that I was missing something, but it took that very raw and awkward moment in my life to realize this: I was overthinking prayer.
This trouble we experience is due to the fact that our journey to heaven is not a sprint, but rather a marathon, on a route with many hills and valleys. These feelings are a normal part of our relationship with God while here on Earth, and all of us will inevitably face times of spiritual dryness between moments of consolation.
Since that prayer, my life is so much more peaceful, even when I experience struggles. I trust that I have a Relentless Father who is always guiding me, seeking a deeper relationship with me, and desiring that I open my heart to Him.
Ministry is ironic because those of us who minister often find it difficult to be ministered to. We encourage and teach teens to pray, but how often do we pray outside of ministry? We tell others to keep holy the Sabbath, but we put in twelve-hour days on Sundays. Isn't it ironic?
I was in the middle of working on my own prayer life, and it’s not worth any less just because it didn’t look like anyone else’s. It only seemed ordinary because I was used to it, not because it was any less than enough.
The heart of God is the heart of a father who loves his children and there is nothing that He delights in more than see you, His child, aspire and reach for greatness.
We all have taken on a ‘do whatever it takes’ mentality in ministry over these challenging and uncertain months. But, as we have all taken on new responsibilities, new roles, and navigated through these rough waters, we recognize that some areas of our own lives may need that same attention and creativity.
