Wandering Thoughts
Once people
have started praying, the most common barrier to prayer is wandering thoughts, even
among people who have a consistent prayer life for years.
Ø In a global survey of prayer run by the
Teal Trust in 1998, over 80% of respondents found this at least "sometimes
a problem".
Ø Two thirds also found noise or other
distractions a problem.
Ø A similar survey by the Evangelical
Alliance found that "keeping concentration" was also an issue, with
40% of respondents mentioning this as a barrier to prayer.
Ø Many Christians lead busy lives, with
our minds working in overdrive to cover all of the things that we need to think
about and accomplish
Ø When we stop to pray, it takes time for
our mind to change track and to focus in on God
Ø Expect there to be times when your mind
will be distracted learn affective methods of dealing with it
Ø Don't “beat yourself up” over wandering
thoughts; but at the same time don’t be content to let your thoughts wander
Ø Just as when we are in conversation
with others, our minds do have some apparently irrelevant thoughts, and need to
be returned to the topic at hand
Ø Remember that Satan will do his best to
distract us when we pray
Helpful
Hints:
- Ask God to help you bring your
wandering thoughts into captivity
- Remove yourself physically from as
many distractions as possible
- Listen to a praise and worship CD
- Sing to the Lord a hymn or praise
chorus
- Read a psalm or another passage
from the Bible and meditate on it
- Pause and reflect on what you have
to be thankful for
- Bring those distractions to God in
prayer
- Quickly write those distractions
down and then go on praying
- Write out your prayers
- Pray in a different location
Material
adapted from: Prayer Guide
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