Prayer is very crucial in the life of believers. It is the means through which we relate with God. In prayer lies the secret of our strength and success (Isaiah 40:28-31). In It lies our victory over the world, Satan, and sin. It is non-negotiable because it is the breath of the believer and the moment one stops praying, death sets in. But, why do I struggle to pray? Have you asked yourself this question?
It is a spiritual activity that is easily spoken, but difficult to practice by many Christians. Prayer is a sermon preached by many believers but little amongst us devote ourselves to this divine task.
Several times, my friends have asked me, “What do I do when I don’t feel like praying?” I will share with you the answers I always give them which have helped them transcend from the state of prayerlessness to becoming prayer warriors.
In this article, you will discover the reasons you are not praying, how to pray when you don’t feel like praying, and how to build a prayer altar.
3 reasons why you don’t feel like praying
Knowing the reasons why you are not doing a thing makes it easier for you to overcome the problem and start doing it. Explained below are some of the reasons for not praying. Carefully examine them and pick the ones that are peculiar to you. It will help you to overcome prayerlessness.
- You feel too dry to pray
Many Christians have used this statement as an excuse for not praying but the question is, “Is our acceptance before God based on our feelings? Must we feel happy and joyful before He accepts us? Isn’t our acceptance based on the finished work of Christ?”
The answer to the questions is that we are not accepted or made righteous before God based on our feeling, but on the finished work of Christ. Therefore, pray as long as you are prompted by the Spirit even if you don’t feel like praying.
- Busyness
This is one of the most prominent reasons believers of this age don’t pray. We are carried away by the busyness of the day and find it difficult to create time for God.
This isn’t the way it was in the early church. The early church devoted themselves to prayer. The Bible tells us, “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (Acts 1:14).
Unfortunately, many of us have prioritized other things over prayer. We are too busy to create time for prayer even though we admire and crave the same results as the early church. We are not willing to pay the price. We are occupied with other things not knowing that only one thing is needful and that is sitting at the Lord’s feet.
If Jesus with His busy schedule could create time to pray every morning and even through the night, then we have no excuse whatsoever. David as a Prime Minister prayed three times daily (Dan. 6:10).
- I am too bitter to pray
Some Christians are bitter with God and feel there’s no need to pray. Circumstances surrounding them such as the death of their loved ones make them see God as an unjust judge who has little or no concern for them. “If God exists why do bad things happen to good people?” they question and as such, they became discouraged.
How to pray when praying seems difficult
Sometimes you lack the desire to pray may be because you feel God is far from you, you sinned, or as a result of your busyness. Nevertheless, you can still pray by following the methods below:
- Pray all through your day
Practice the ceaseless prayer that is, “Praying without ceasing”. You do this by keeping an ongoing conversation with God while doing your daily activities. Engage Him silently within, no matter the noise around you. Pray silently in the Spirit or your understanding using some of these words: Lord, help me as I wash these plates. Help me, as I take my bath. Help me, as I cook this food. Lord, help me as I do this or that.
- Pray God’s Word
Pray the Psalmist prayer as recorded in the book of Psalms. Pray the prayers of Paul as recorded in the Bible. Listen to messages on prayer and follow them pray as the message plays. By so doing, you are obeying the law of God as regards prayer.
What if I can’t pray well? How do I pray?
Beloved, the Christian life is full of ups and downs. At times you are hot and burning while sometimes you are weak and cold—dry and empty. Nevertheless, don’t give up. Pray even while you feel empty and dry.
God has promised to be with you always. So, He is there even when you feel He isn’t. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Here are some of the things to do to survive this season:
– Share with brethren your struggle and get someone to pray for you and with you.
– Don’t forsake the gathering of believers.
– Get messages on prayer and prayer motivators like ‘tongues of fire’, chants, sounds, etc.
How do I build a prayer altar? 4 ways to do so
An altar is a meeting point between human and spirit beings. It is a place of sacrifice, worship, and consecration. Below are the things to do to build an active prayer altar:
- Locate a good spot or convenient place either in your room or somewhere else (Mk. 1:35)
- Fix an appropriate time for your prayer/study. This could be in the morning, afternoon, or night depending on your schedule or convenience but it is advisable in the morning to start your day with God.
- Trust God to be disciplined and consistent. You can allocate time, maybe 30 minutes, one hour, or two depending on your capacity but you must trust God for consistency.
- Depend on the Holy Spirit to carry out this task knowing fully that by human strength shall no man prevail. “For it is not by power nor by might but by the Spirit says the Lord”(Zachariah 4:6)
Beloved, the proof that you aren’t an amoeba or another creature is that you pray because “men ought always to pray and not to faint” (Lk. 18:1). You can’t claim to be a human being and you aren’t praying. “A prayerful Christian is a powerful Christian”.
You can’t overcome sin, Satan, and the world without prayer. I charge you before God who shall judge the living and the death to prioritize prayer. Commit yourself wholly to prayer whether it is convenient or not, in season and out of season. Pray whether you feel like praying or not for in it lies your victory. May God create in you an unchallengeable desire for prayer. May the Spirit of grace and supplication be released unto you. Amen.
