There was a time when things were difficult with me that I would pray dearly and enjoy sweet fellowship with the Lord. I remember many times sleeping on the couch, and praying for a long time, simply telling God thanks for His mercies.

Now as things are getting better (they are not that great), but I think better in terms of having clear goals and purpose of mind in refernce to private life, career, family etc, my prayer life has gotten sloppy.

Its pretty bad, that I read my Bible at night, and pray and find myself falling asleep and nodding during my prayer sessions, I then would hurry it up and then fall asleep, and begin snoring like a pig.

In the morning, I find myself uttering a mechanical prayer of thanks.

This is wreaking havoc on me.

I need some advice on how to improve this. I know its a matter of personal discipline, but I cannot seem to find the time, and when I do find the time, I am dead tired.

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~Keon Garraway~ Brooklyn, NY Member of Franklin Square OPC

Love for God demonstrated by the love for our children in giving them a God centered education is the only hope for our country. by David Morrow
Pslam 71:20 [Thou], which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

Let me be honest with you about my life. I am not saying that this is what is going on with you but alot of times when I begin to get into this mode it is because I have gotten so caught up in my what I have to do that I slowly forget about the eternal because I am focused on the temporary dan sometimes don't realize it. God takes us through those times to continually remind us that you continually need Him and that HE IS ALL THAT YOU NEED. ( I am not yelling at you by the way. ) I know how you feel and these are some things that I have realized about myself. But just to pour out my heart to God restores me once again. It is so easy to get caught up in the things of this world especially in the midst of problems, but realize that the thing that will always sustain you is that prayer time. Love ya brother. Press on my friend.

[Edited on 11-17-2005 by street preacher]

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Steve W
Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia (Attending)
"All that the Father gives me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out." John 6:37

I heard a sermon on this a few months ago. The minister urged that prayer is incredibly important, so if you're having trouble with it, try to discipline yourself by praying regularly. He cited the example of Daniel praying before he went into the lions' den. Basically, stick with it! Eventually you'll be enthusiastic again.

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"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." Eccl 9:10

G.S.Harwood
Member, St.Paul's Presbyterian
student, University of Toronto (unfortunately)

thanks for the info guys.

let me ask a couple more questions.

1. Do you have specific set times that you pray regardless of what is going on around you?

2. When praying how do you prevent it from becoming mechanical and formulaic.

There times when I know I am not praying as I ought, and I feel this is because my heart is not attuned to it, and I am simply doing it as a chore. I really want to prevent this.

Keon, get a hold of a good book by an author that can expand your view of God. If you can see his greatness, majesty, awesomeness anew, it may stimulate you to spontaneous prayer. AW Pinks, the Attributes of God has this effect on me.

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Bob Vigneault (Bawb Vēēn-yo)
"We are God's children and He's the Father of all fathers and we need to obey him." Jean-Baptiste Vigneault (5)

The Heartbeat of Heaven (blog) MySpace (Music), MySpace (Personal)
Member of Christ Presbyterian Church, Janesville, WI OPC www.christ-opc.org

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Interesting question for you - has your time for prayer been set aside for your exercise time? I know you have started on an early morning exercise routine and I know from personal experience that doing so can wreck havoc with prayer time.

Just a thought.

And I know the following is not specifically meant for us, but it has a ring of truth:

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Gerry Winebrenner
member Christ Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Janesville WI

Psalm 95:6-7
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

Keon, do you go right into prayer, or do you read the Bible first, or read a devotional? Sometimes, as was mentioned above, if I read a devotional (right now I'm working through Baxter's "The Reformed Pastor", I then find that my mind and heart are attuned to the higher glories. In fact, Baxter is so piercing that I often find myself setting down the book after a paragraph or two just to commune with God for a while. Then, pick the book up and go on some more. Hope this helps brother.

"In Christ",
Bobby

p.s. In other words, I don't try to do it on my own. I sometimes need assistance from some old dead friends. Right now, my old friend is Richard Baxter.

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Bobby Gawthrop, V.D.M.
licensed, ordained SBC, licensed PCA
Ph.D. student (Whitefield Theological Seminary)
"Every minister in those days had a V.D.M. degree: Verbum Dei Minister. When, therefore, I became a teacher of apologetics it was natural for me to think, not only of my Th.M. and my Ph.D., but above all of my V.D.M. The former degrees were but means whereby I might be true to the latter degree." Cornelius Van Til

Check out the Valley of Vision on CD read by Max McLean. Immerse yourself in it. Listen to it wherever you drive.

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Chris Rhoades -33
Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church (PCA) Nashville, TN-Under Care

Vera theologia non theoretica, sed practica est; Finis siquidem eius agere est hoc est vitam vivere deiformem. - Martin Bucer
""True theology is not theoretical, but practical. The end of it is living, that is to live a godly life."

1. No. I try to pray throughout the day.

2. I do not have a problem with prayer becoming formulaic or mechanical. Sometimes I read written prayers to get me started. The Ghost prays for us anyway. Many discussions on this board are mechanical and formulaic. Many conversations with my kids and wife.
And how much time do we spend in those dialogues ? Christ gave us a formulaic prayer we can make existential and expand upon. Luther's book on the "simple way to pray" helped me greatly.

The other thing I want to add is that I do not feel guilty if I go a day or two without praying. I try to thank God for drawing me to Himself with the conviction, and giving me a reason then to praise Him for "hearing" me even when I do not speak. I know that sounds mystical but it is where my heart is right now.

[Edited on 11-17-2005 by Saiph]

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Misery induces despair, pride induces presumption. The Incarnation shows man the
greatness of his misery by the greatness of the remedy which he required.
~ Pascal, Pensees 526

I think I heard JI Packer say one time in a lecture series that its "ok" to pray in a disciplined, "mechanical" type of way at certain points in your life when the "vitality" of your prayer life may otherwise be lacking.
His point was that it keeps you in the habit (in other words you're not neglecting your duty), and can "lead to better things." And by that he meant getting started in the flesh but then get carried by the Spirit so to speak, because in your act of prayer the Holy Spirit can work and begin to facilitate and add renewed vigor into your prayer life. But that won't happen if one decides NOT to pray in fear that they're only doing it out of "obligation".

Just some food for thought.....

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Christopher Hinton
Northland, A Church Distributed;
Altamonte Springs, FL

I tell my wife, "I love you" even when I don't "feel" it. It is true whether I feel like doing it or not. Same with prayer. When reading the Bible and you run across an "I love you" I would suggest uttering an "I love you too" of adoration and thanksgiving back. (along with a prayer to restore the joy.)

I totally understand where you're coming from.

thannks for the encouragement and good advice guys. This was getting to be a real concern for me since this sloppiness has been going on for at least a month now.

The thing is, I feel quite guilty after I mutter a few words up to God, merely as fulfilling some type of chore.

I think my achilles heal was performing my Bible Study and Prayers as the last thing before I go to sleep. I think psychological my mind kicks into the, "hurry up and get it over with" mode once I pick up the Bible.