Who Has Time to Pray
By Adam Weber, MDiv 07′
I honestly don’t remember when I moved to Crazytown. I know it’s been years. But I do remember first visiting back in college.
Back then, Crazytown consisted of writing papers, eating cheap pizza, working, trying to impress girls, doing homework, playing Super Mario Kart, sleeping, and every so often, going to class. Four years of pure happiness.
But even at the time, life felt crazy. Little did I know that my visits to Crazytown were just beginning.
After college, I got married. This meant having to think about someone other than myself.
Laundry. Dishes. Taking out the trash. Pretending to enjoy shopping together. Trying to be somewhat clean and considerate so I could stay married.
Then, somehow, our first baby showed up. As it turns out, babies aren’t delivered by storks.
Actually I’m still unsure where they come from, but we were now fully responsible for another living, breathing human being, and there was no instruction manual included.
Then a real job. Like, a real one. More responsibility. Deadlines.
Facebook was created. Then Twitter. Then Instagram. Then Snapchat. Embarrassing amounts of time wasted. If I ever did have any extra time, it’s now completely gone. Can I get an “Amen”?
Crazytown. It’s where I lived then, and where I still live today. It’s all that I know.
Sound familiar? Oh, you live here too? I thought I saw you around.
Between work, deadlines, kids, schedules, diapers, homework, social media, and whatever else life throws your way, who has time for anything else? More specifically, in the midst of Crazytown, who has time to pray?
***
The apostle Paul wrote a really helpful letter to a group of Christians in a city called Thessalonica. Where was that? I can’t pronounce it either.
Near the end of Paul’s letter though, he told people what their lives, our lives, should look like as followers of Jesus. Here are a few of the random things he mentioned:
“Encourage each other.”
All right. I’ll try.
“Do good to one another.”
Okay, that’s not too bad.
“Rejoice always.”
I guess I can try to be thankful or something? I can probably do that.
“Pray without ceasing.”
Come again?
Without ceasing. Continually. Always. It can also be translated as, “Never stop.”
Oh, okay. Wonderful. This pretty much seems…impossible.
Have I mentioned where I live?
Even if I truly wanted to pray nonstop, I just can’t right now. Hopefully, once I finish school, okay? In a couple of years when the kids are older? In one month, this project at work should be complete, and once things settle down a bit more, I’ll give prayer more of an effort. But really, how is this possible for anyone?
***
For me, this sure seemed impossible when I first heard it. But as a brand-new Christian, I began to get serious about my relationship with God during the first semester of my freshman year of college. Until that point, I loved the Lord but still lived two different lives. I was one Adam with one group of friends and a different version of myself with the next group.
Several weeks into my freshman year, I felt God challenging me: Adam, are you willing to follow me with your whole heart? With all that you are?
One night, in my dorm room, I decided I was. I wanted to fully follow him. All in. I knew talking with God more often would be a huge part of that. I began intentionally speaking with God more throughout my day. In the morning. Before meals. While walking to my next class. Before going to sleep. If something reminded me of God, I took the time to acknowledge him. To sit with him. To talk with him.
Often, I wrote a short prayer on a notecard and carried it in my pocket, or I’d keep it on my nightstand, reminding myself to pray. I needed that constant reminder.
What started as a very disciplined and intentional effort, prayer slowly began to show up more and more often throughout my day on its own. And I stress slowly. It took time.
***
Truth be told, we will always be able to find reasons why we don’t have the time (or energy) to pray. Whether you’re a college student, a stay-at-home mom, a second-grade teacher, a pastor, or a busy grandma, each of us can come up with an argument for why our life is out of control.
So finding time to pray isn’t easier for some than for others. That’s a cop-out answer. Instead of making excuses, we have to get to the place where we so clearly realize our desperate need for talking with God that it becomes a priority. Even when life is nuts, we find time for the things we value. Prayer can be one of those things.
Instead of it being another daily chore, something changes when prayer slowly becomes as natural as breathing. Prayer fills us with life. It gives us the ability to love our coworker and not strangle him. It allows us to be patient instead of frustrated with our kids, or someone else’s. Prayer makes it possible to have a positive attitude on the crappiest of days. I’m beginning to realize that unless I am in constant conversation with God, I have little love, little patience, little gratitude, and a terrible attitude on my own.
Pray without ceasing.
It centers us.
Rearranges our priorities.
Fills us with joy.
Covers us with peace.
Allows us to extend grace.
Even better?
It connects us with the One who treads water for us when we’re unable to swim ourselves. The Ultimate Plate Spinner who helps us discern which plates are actually worth spinning.
Once more, pray without ceasing? No question!
How can I not? I want to. I need to. I mean, have I mentioned where I live?
I loved reading this article. Thank you. It’s such a refreshing reminder of the importance of daily talking with God. I especially like the reminder that prayer “centers us.” I pray throughout the day (it may be a “little” easier for me, as it’s my job) but I find that my favorite times are when I go into my prayer closet at home. I literally have an area of my closet where I sit with God. I don’t have to say or do anything. I can just sit and be re-calibrated in His presence (Psalm 46:10). What an amazing feeling with awesome results. I know with all we have going on in our lives, it’s hard to find time for prayer. But I think when we stop and remember what that time with God does in us, and the peace it brings through us, we can do it more often. Thanks again for these wonderful reflections.
What a great article. Even though I am retired, I often feel like I live in Crazytown. Before I finished the article, I took time out to pray. Thanks, Adam!