These days I have committed myself to praying more. But I have to admit that it has always been a struggle. Every time that I have decided so, the devil, since he knows the power of prayer, tries every trick in his book to dissuade me.
Now it’s important to decide a particular time and pray at that same time everyday. That way it can become a habit. I decided on early mornings and also decided to treat this time like a big appointment. I was never a big supporter of this. Not that I opposed it, but now I would suggest one and all to do it this way. Maybe as you grow old, you realize the importance of discipline and begin appreciating the warnings that our parents "caned" into us. Early in the morning, right when I arise, the struggle begins. I wonder if it were so hard to commit oneself for the gym!
First it’s the demand for sleep! The body never seems to have had enough sleep especially now when the prime activity in the morning was going to be prayer. Also I noticed that since the day I resolved to pray at least an hour every morning, I started waking up to a variety of pains in my body beginning from the head to the toe! Everyday something new! The spirit is always willing but the body always weak too and so, after the hot tea, I rush to get fresh and that involves putting me under the cold shower to proclaim and establish to my rebelling body my commitment to the prayer. The body kind of twists and turns but gets tamed eventually to the constant flow of cold water. Now I enjoy it! I wonder why all my life I hated cold shower baths!
I wish many of us would understand the adaptability of our body to the situation we force it into. I mean, God has made our bodies in such a way that it is very "teachable". The flip side of this characteristic being addiction, and regular habits that we develop; some of which are hard to shake off; but the bright side being the ability to set the body clock to the daily routine that we want it to follow. Of course, the body dislikes change because change involves struggles and efforts. But the body is certainly teachable. If we don’t teach it, it will cheat us. No matter what my body says each morning and however loud, I have resolved to pray and never give in.
I have also decided the place where I will pray daily. It helps to decide a place free from all distractions. A fixed place leaves least things for body and eyes to get distracted by, thus allowing more focus and attention on the subject of concern. It takes a five minute drive for me to reach this place. I now walk down to the place, thus clubbing morning walk with the prayer making it a morning ‘prayer walk’! That takes about fifteen minutes but it’s worth every minute. That way, very soon I will become an owner of a fit spirit inside a fit body!
I have also learnt that it helps to pray loud rather than whisper it in our minds. The latter often facilitates a slippage into ‘wonderland’. The loud prayers keeps the mind alert and also is a confession for the devil and also the situation to hear! Yes, even the situations hear! Now, the loud prayers do take a toll on the throat because invariably I end up speaking almost non-stop, sometimes even without appropriate pauses, but then prayer is a battle, a struggle, not an activity that has to be padded for my comfort and meager efforts.
Prayer is an enjoyable experience. But it can become draining as days pass by and you starting praying and praying for the same topics but never actually see changes happening in reality. But prayer moves mountains and it takes a while to notice when a mountain moves! Hallelujah. Making praying a habit has been my best decision ever.
Now it’s important to decide a particular time and pray at that same time everyday. That way it can become a habit. I decided on early mornings and also decided to treat this time like a big appointment. I was never a big supporter of this. Not that I opposed it, but now I would suggest one and all to do it this way. Maybe as you grow old, you realize the importance of discipline and begin appreciating the warnings that our parents "caned" into us. Early in the morning, right when I arise, the struggle begins. I wonder if it were so hard to commit oneself for the gym!
First it’s the demand for sleep! The body never seems to have had enough sleep especially now when the prime activity in the morning was going to be prayer. Also I noticed that since the day I resolved to pray at least an hour every morning, I started waking up to a variety of pains in my body beginning from the head to the toe! Everyday something new! The spirit is always willing but the body always weak too and so, after the hot tea, I rush to get fresh and that involves putting me under the cold shower to proclaim and establish to my rebelling body my commitment to the prayer. The body kind of twists and turns but gets tamed eventually to the constant flow of cold water. Now I enjoy it! I wonder why all my life I hated cold shower baths!
I wish many of us would understand the adaptability of our body to the situation we force it into. I mean, God has made our bodies in such a way that it is very "teachable". The flip side of this characteristic being addiction, and regular habits that we develop; some of which are hard to shake off; but the bright side being the ability to set the body clock to the daily routine that we want it to follow. Of course, the body dislikes change because change involves struggles and efforts. But the body is certainly teachable. If we don’t teach it, it will cheat us. No matter what my body says each morning and however loud, I have resolved to pray and never give in.
I have also decided the place where I will pray daily. It helps to decide a place free from all distractions. A fixed place leaves least things for body and eyes to get distracted by, thus allowing more focus and attention on the subject of concern. It takes a five minute drive for me to reach this place. I now walk down to the place, thus clubbing morning walk with the prayer making it a morning ‘prayer walk’! That takes about fifteen minutes but it’s worth every minute. That way, very soon I will become an owner of a fit spirit inside a fit body!
I have also learnt that it helps to pray loud rather than whisper it in our minds. The latter often facilitates a slippage into ‘wonderland’. The loud prayers keeps the mind alert and also is a confession for the devil and also the situation to hear! Yes, even the situations hear! Now, the loud prayers do take a toll on the throat because invariably I end up speaking almost non-stop, sometimes even without appropriate pauses, but then prayer is a battle, a struggle, not an activity that has to be padded for my comfort and meager efforts.
Prayer is an enjoyable experience. But it can become draining as days pass by and you starting praying and praying for the same topics but never actually see changes happening in reality. But prayer moves mountains and it takes a while to notice when a mountain moves! Hallelujah. Making praying a habit has been my best decision ever.
1 comments:
u echoed sm of my struggles right here...praying regularly n seriously is sure a hard task..n we know d reason y :) ..it wud be gr8 if u cud post sm more on "prayer" ..loved it.. :)
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