Why We Don’t Pray

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26)

The reason we are so bad at prayer is because we make it too much about us. Any spiritual practice that relies on humanity, falters; such things were never meant to rest on our shoulders. The key to a thriving prayer life comes not from finding adequate “quiet” time or finding an empty closet to belt out hidden desires but in connecting in depth with the Spirit as God. We too often reserve the backseat of the God bus for the Holy Spirit and in so we diminish His ability to work. If prayer is the communion of souls, then we need to rely on the God of souls to utter those groanings too deep for words. For when we are the weakest, He shows us true strength. It is when man reaches the end of himself that he is set free to live a more Christ-like life.

So how do we find the Spirit? We simply have to turn down the static of life. It is said that the greatest victory of the enemy is when he distracts us with the meaningless things of this life. In this distraction, we have numbed the Spirit from thriving. If we cannot find the discipline to unplug in this world, we will never find the peace and transcendence of a life plugged into the greatness of God. Is it a mere coincidence that in the generation of most connectivity to the world around us we have the least stable relationship to our Savior? If we ever expect to refine our relationship with our Father, we must practice the art of stillness. We can have faith in our God to pray within us. Prayer is never about polished words or long monologues but something else entirely. It is a spiritual conversation between a Father and His children.

Today, unplug and wait. Know that He will pray through you as you center yourself on His promises.

Lord, teach us to pray. Holy Spirit have free reign in our life.