I have struggled with my prayer life through the years. My mind wanders. I lose focus. Sometimes I fall asleep. Why is it that this praying thing can be so difficult?

Turns out that I am not the only one who has difficulty in my prayer life.

In Randy Sprinkle’s book, Follow Me, he shared a 2000 survey conducted by George Barna which showed that in America, the average daily prayer time was less than five minutes per day.[i]

While other spiritual activities such as Bible reading, church attendance, small group involvement, volunteerism, and Sunday school attendance has increased according to a more recent survey, prayer and evangelism did not reflect significant change since the 2000 survey.

The survey says, “Slightly more than four out of five adults (84%) claimed they had prayed in the past week. That has been the case since Barna began tracking the frequency of prayer in 1993.” To read information the article that includes this information, click here.

I try to find creative, fresh ideas to keep my prayer life active. I have found beautiful time with God through coloring. I have found finger exercises keep me heading in the right direction. I pray and sing Scripture. I have found that I am more focused on prayer when I speak out loud.

These are just a few of the tools I’ve picked up through the years to keep my prayer life on track.

When praying for others, I have used Colossians 1:9-14 (NIV) to guide my thoughts. Take a look at these verses.

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” (v. 9) Pray that they might understand God’s will and that they may grow in their spiritual wisdom and understanding.

“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,” (v. 10) Pray that they might live a life worthy of God, that they might please Him in every way, that they might bear fruit, that they might serve with good works, and that they might grow in their knowledge of God.

“Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,” (v. 11) Pray that they would be strengthened with God’s power and that they would endure in patience.

“Joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” (v.12) Pray that they would be joyful and thankful, especially for their glorious inheritance.

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (v. 13-14) Pray that they would remember the forgiveness God has given.

Who do you need to pray these verses over today? A child? A friend? A spouse? A neighbor? Maybe you need to pray this for yourself. Whoever you feel called to pray for, this is just one more tool to use to help you stay focused as you pray.

I don’t want to be one of those people in the statistics listed above. I want to be a prayer warrior. Who is willing to join me on the battleground? I’m going in.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

[i] Follow Me, Randy Sprinkle, New Hope Publishers, 2001, pg. 36.