Daily Devotional
What Keeps You from Praying?
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
Romans 8:26
October 21, 2021
Ponder This
Did you know it takes energy to pray? I’d rather preach for an hour than pray for half an hour, so far as energy is concerned. It takes great strength to pray. The reason many of us don’t pray is, very frankly, we’re lazy, and when we go to pray our energy drains out of us. Do you ever feel that? You get tired, you get sleepy, and your head gets full of cobwebs. Part of this may be the conditions in which we seek to pray. Are you setting yourself up for success by practicing prayer in a proper environment? Seek out somewhere that will help you stay alert and without distraction. But there’s more than just our environment. Part of our old nature is we simply don’t have the strength to pray.
Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane praying, and He wanted His disciples to pray. He said, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). And He came back and what were they doing? They were sleeping. And what did Jesus say? He said, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Had they been filled with the Spirit, they would’ve been praying. Many times, we’re sleeping when we ought to be praying, and the reason we’re sleeping when we ought to be praying is we’re not praying in the Spirit.
- What are the most common obstacles you face in prayer?
- How might you seek the Holy Spirit to help you overcome those obstacles so that you might focus on prayer?
Practice This
Take time today to pick a time and a place where you will cultivate a habit of prayer each day. Select a time and place that is free from distraction and will help you stay attentive and alert as you seek to pray.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
