pWe resolve to pray more, but end up sending God quick ‘kthnxbye’ prayers as we dart out the door, forgetting to pray meaningful prayers that root our days in the Spirit. We know we’re supposed to ‘pray constantly’ as Christians, but it’s hard to know how to make that work for us.br /
Mark Yaconelli quite fancily (and we think pretty beautifully) says that, when we properly dedicate time to thank God for His love our lives ‘begin to revolve around the Spirit, rather than the chaotic wanderings of our own egos and anxieties. We become what we’ve always hoped to be: disciples’. That’s the goal, isn’t it? To spend enough time communicating with Father God that His Spirit replaces any self-centred, or stress-centred, focus. Practically, though, how can we get to that point? One way, we reckon, is to find your own prayer-rhythm. In fact, a pretty useful pattern could be: First, take a sec to acknowledge God and His presence wherever you are. Then do a mental review of what’s been happening in your day, since you last checked in with God. Pay attention to what you’re thinking/feeling about that. Single out one thing that’s happened, specifically, and pray that through. Then ask God to direct your next few hours, until you remember to check in again. Taking the time to refocus yourself on God, completely in the context of what’s going on (rather than in an isolated, separate-from-life prayer time), will connect your day even more closely to Him. Maybe write that sequence up as a note in your phone, and go through it whenever you think to./p
pem strongWhat Now? /strong/em br /
Again. Do that thing^./p