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The Bible says to “Pray without ceasing.” in 1st Thessalonians 5:16. We know we should pray. We know the power of prayer. We know that our prayer life is something to be cherished and grown..but we just can’t find the time.
I know this struggle! As a busy Mama, it can be hard to find a moment to breathe let alone to talk to God. I’ve made my prayer life my focus area to improve and while I’m not in the pray without ceasing territory, I have felt closer to the Lord. I wanted to share a few ways that I make prayer a priority in my life and hopefully get some tips from you!
Do It First Thing!
I’m trying to get in the habit of thanking God for each day before my feet hit the floor. Obviously, this isn’t some huge drawn out prayer, (though I wouldn’t mind that!) but rather a simple, “Thank you, Jesus, for blessing me with this day. Help me with x Mama struggle and whatever other special event is going on that day. ” By choosing to pray right when my eyes open, it becomes a habit and that conversation is much more likely to continue!
Involve Little Ones in Daily Quiet Times
My perspective shifted when I chose to include my little guys in my daily quiet time. It’s a way to spend time with the Lord in prayer and devotion while still staying focused on your children. The Bible stories and prayers might seem simple, but they are still glorifying to God and He still sees them as precious. Faith like a child, right? 🙂
Hide in the Bathroom
This tip actually came from Carol over at Plain and Simple Homesteading. This is a tip that would work if you have older children or are in a season of life where you can get away for a couple of minutes. Sometimes all it takes is a couple of minutes with Jesus to clear your mind and give you a fresh perspective. Bonus points if you can sneak a small devotional in there too. I like Pressing Pause by Ruth Schwenk and Karen Ehman!
Multi-Task
I have to believe that praying without ceasing doesn’t mean you have to kneel by your bed every time. Some of my most memorable prayer times have happened while I was folding laundry or doing the dishes. Praying while I do these mundane tasks allows me to infuse my life with Christ and make Him the center. It also helps me to stay grounded and have a good attitude about all those little messes.
Set an Alarm
If you’re anything like myself, chances are, you get extremely distracted. I seriously have to set a timer some days to remind myself to eat! Setting an alarm to remind yourself to pray might seem a little extreme, but it really can work! It helps you get into the habit of prayer and eventually you won’t even need the timer!
Use Prayer as a First Resort
My Pastor says, “If you have a headache, we’ll pray for you first then give you a Tylenol!” With all the fast fixes in this world, it can be hard to remember our true Physician. When you have an ache, emotional problem, financial mishap or relationship on the rocks..try praying first! If you create this mindset in your home, prayer will automatically be a first resort, not a desperate option.
Get Inspired
If you don’t know what to pray, read a book about prayer in your free time. There are so many awesome books that have pre-written prayers that speak to the heart. I personally love Common Prayer: A Liturgy For Ordinary Radicals. You can also pray the Psalms or various Bible verses.
It’s your turn! How do you fit prayer into a busy life?
Cate, I’m glad I saw you at Grace and Truth! I so appreciate these ideas for making prayer a bigger part of our day. Multi-tasking works for me too. I find I lose concentration pretty fast just sitting, but when I do mundane tasks, and keep moving, somehow it makes it easier for me to focus on prayer and time with God.
Hi, Cate! I’m stopping by from Grace and Truth today. 🙂 Love this post! I’ve recently been challenged to make prayer more of a priority, and I can tell a difference already. Thanks for encouraging us to make time even when it feels like time is scarce.
Jen 🙂
Since my kids were little, I taught them that while mommy is praying they were to be quiet(er) and to not interrupt me. They practice this even still today. You have given great ideas for prayer. Thanks for linking up with Grace and Truth.
Since being diagnosed with diabetes a year ago, I make it a priority to walk 2 miles when I get home at night. I have found this an excellent time to bring all that happened during the day to our Lord.
Wow! That is an amazing idea. I’ll have to try that! Getting healthy physically and spiritually. 🙂
This post has given me great ideas to add on to what I am currently doing. What works for me is setting a designated time in the evening to do my devotional and pray. I am not a morning person so getting up early did not work for me. During my lunch break I would feel rushed, so I decided that 9pm was the best time for me. I also do a morning and afternoon prayer on my commute home which is an hour each way! So that time I use often times for praise and worship and prayer!!
I am a delivery driver and I find myself praying all the time while I’m on the road, in between deliveries. God is my co-pilot!
Yes! I have so much appreciation for drivers! 🙂 I wouldn’t be able to be on the road that often. <3