The Importance of Daily Prayer
By Anna Laughery
"I pray every day."
When I say this statement, I get several different reactions. Some people look at me like I am crazy, as if thinking "why would you waste your time?" Some look at me in awe, as if thinking "wow, you’re basically a saint already." And some people brush me off, saying "yeah right, there's no way you pray every day." But none of these statements are right. I'm not crazy. I'm not a saint. And I'm not a liar. I pray every day not because I'm holy, but because I'm a sinner and I need Jesus. My relationship with the Lord in prayer is the source of my sanity and my strength. And I can say with full confidence that this discovery of the power of prayer has been the most transformative discovery in my entire life.
When you lose a noticeable amount of weight, people will ask what diet or exercise plan you used. When you finally conquer the bane of a woman's existence, acne, people will ask what face wash or medication finally worked. But the transformation caused by dedication to personal prayer is externally less noticeable, and therefore less talked about. I think that is wrong. We should talk about our prayer and personal relationship with the Lord everyday so I am going to tell you how prayer has transformed my life far more profoundly than any diet or face wash ever could.
I started praying every day a little over three years ago. At first, to be completely honest, I had no idea what I was doing. I would either sit in awkward silence or bury my nose in a religious book to pass the time. But little by little, day by day, I began to hear the Lord's voice.
In Scripture, in silence, in books, in journaling or in images, the words he spoke to me became clearer and clearer. And as I began to hear him, I began to see the effects in my life. I grew in virtue, trust, peace, and most importantly in connection with the Holy Spirit. I'm far from perfect in these areas, but for me to fail to share the power of prayer would be failing to share his glory and the miracles he has worked in my life. I can say without any hesitation that I am a different person than I was three years ago. I learned how to love. I learned how to worship. I learned how to live freely. The Lord transformed me through my relationship with him in prayer. And He wants to transform you too.
If you decide to venture on the journey of relationship with the Lord through personal prayer, it is not going to be easy. Prayer is a relationship, and just like any relationship, it takes time. There will be awkward first dates and awkward silences. There will be times when you fail to hear his voice, or misunderstand him, but the more you spend time with him, the better you will come to know him. But don't give up. The fruits of your prayer will astound you.
But all this talk about prayer is useless unless we put it into practice, so here are some practicals:
Start small: If you start with an hour of prayer every day, you will get burnt out. Start with 10 or 15 minutes and work from there.
Limit distractions: Don't prayer with your phone or laptop nearby. Do your best to give the Lord your full attention.
Don't get discouraged: If you do find yourself distracted or missing a day, don't beat yourself up. Just keep coming back to him. He will give you the grace to press on.
Use Scripture: This is God's inspired Word, and he will speak through it. Start in the Gospels, or some of the New Testament letters, such as 1 John, and get to know the person of Jesus through what the writers of the Bible have to say about him.
Be consistent: Get into a habit. Just like anything, habits take time and consistency, but once you establish the habit of prayer it'll become a natural and vital part of your day.
Talk to your friends: Ask your friends about their prayer, and tell them about yours. It's easier to hold each other accountable that way, and often they can help you interpret how the Lord is speaking to you.
Talk and listen: Prayer is a two-way street. Tell God what you are struggling with. Tell him your intentions. Tell him about your day. But don't forget to listen.
It is about Him: Remember: prayer is about the Lord. All the grace comes from him. We can feel like we failed in our time of prayer, but He doesn't depend on us. He will draw us to him and love us whether we pray 'well' or not.
Just love: In the end, it is all about loving the Lord. If you are loving him as best you can in your prayer, then you are succeeding. He will do the rest.
As humans, and especially as women, we were made for relationship. And that is all prayer is, a relationship with the God who created us. I invite you to enter into that relationship. James 4:8 says "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you" and no words have ever been truer. Take these wise words of Edith Stein and pray with them today. Ask the Lord for the grace to have a daily, Eucharistic life with him.
"To have a divine love as its inner form, a woman's life must be a Eucharistic life. Only in daily, confidential relationship with the Lord in the tabernacle can one forget self, be free of all one's own wishes and pretentious, and have a heart open to all the needs and wants of others." -Edith Stein
