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Bible Bites
Why Do We Struggle to Pray?
It is odd that we struggle to pray. I don’t mean to be critical, because the truth is that I struggle too. Consumed with urgent things, before I know it the day is gone and I haven’t spent any time talking to God. I feel guilty. But the fact that I, and perhaps you, wrestle with this doesn’t make it any less odd. Think about it. God has given us this awesome privilege (Ps. 34:15-18). All we have to do is turn our hearts to Him and pour out our adoration, fears, and needs and He hears and responds (v. 15-18). It is an amazing privilege. And yet, some disciples don’t see it that way. Prayer has become one more area of their spiritual life where they have failed. So why do we struggle to pray?
Many will say, ‘‘I’m just too busy.” Of all the factors that contribute to the neglect of prayer, this is the one that disciples cite most frequently. It’s no surprise. Our lives are full (work, Little League, household chores, college football and Facebook). These things work in concert to deprive us of the time and solitude we need to pray. Like Jesus, we are forced to carve out time and make a plan to have quiet moments with God (Matthew 14:22-23).
But I’m not sure this gets to the core of the problem. It may be that we struggle to make time to pray, but we also have those moments when it is not difficult at all to find the time. I lived on the gulf coast for several years and experienced three hurricanes. When the weatherman announced that a storm was headed our way, we found time to pray. Even with all of the chaos and urgency of an evacuation, when we feared for our families, our brethren and our property, somehow we found the time to talk to God and seek His help. It all makes me wonder if time is really the problem.
Others will say that, “I just don’t know what to say when I pray.” New Christians struggle with this one, especially if they come from a nonreligious background and have never really prayed before. We can’t see God, and yet we are trying to carry on a conversation with Him. This can be awkward. But even seasoned disciples can struggle with their words. Sometimes we fall into the trap of mindlessly reciting the same things over and over again. Obviously this does not please God. It doesn’t do much for us either. But when we start -trying to really talk to God, we find it difficult to know just what to say.
However, I’m not convinced that this gets to the core of our struggle. There may be times when we struggle to find the words, but there are also times when it is no struggle at all. When my boss tells me that layoffs will be announced on Friday, somehow I find the words to talk to God about this.
Still others will say, “I don’t feel worthy to pray.” There are some elements of right thinking here. This person clearly recognizes that prayer is a privilege. They also have a sense of their littleness before God (Ps. 8:34). But we are nonetheless special to God (vv. 5-6). And while prayer is not a right we can demand, it is a privilege God has graciously extended to us, whether we feel worthy or not (Phil. 4:6-7).
But I still wonder if we have reached the core of our problem. There may be times when feelings of unworthiness keep us from praying, but there are also times when those do not hold us back at all. When the doctor says that they’ve found something suspicious on our granddaughter’s x-ray, nothing keeps us from bringing this to God.
While no one will say it, perhaps our problem is simply this, “I do not feel the need for God.” Think of the feelings we experience when afflicted with a crisis. We are fearful as we consider all the devastating possibilities. There are also feelings of helplessness as I face a problem beyond my control. At times like this, we realize how much we need God and WE PRAY! However, we do not live our lives in a constant state of crisis. We have it pretty good, with all of our needs and many of our wants well supplied. As a result, we feel self sufficient and less dependent on our God. Prayer becomes an inevitable casualty of this arrogant mind-set. We do not pray because we do not need God.
A meaningful habit of prayer begins with, a deep sense of how much I need God every day. Every day I’m battling Satan, making decisions, helping my kids, encountering lost souls. Every day I need God’s help with these critical tasks. There is riot a moment that passes that I do not need Him. We need to discover again how much we need Him. The more we see this, the less we will struggle to pray.
— In Biblical Insights, November 2014
