The Lord has commanded us to pray always, to pray vocally and in our hearts, to pray in public as well as private. However, as we face the distractions of our modern world, it can be hard to follow this counsel. Here are five ways you can have a heart full of consistent prayer and praise for the Lord.
Notice the Little Things
Prayer doesn’t have to be limited to the “formal” occasions we may often think of. We can get into the habit of praying always by recognizing the hand of the Lord consistently in our daily lives. Did something good happen? Say a quick thank you! Feeling a bit stressed at work? Take a moment at your desk to ask for peace. The more we do this, the more we’ll notice what God has been doing and how He can help. Plus, expressing gratitude for God is one of the best ways to prepare our hearts for revelation.
Use In-Between Moments
Making time in our busy schedules for prayer can be hard. Try to use the in-between moments of your life to pray. In-between moments could be when you’re driving in your car, taking a shower, waiting in line at the grocery store, or when you’re getting dressed. We all would love to create sacred moments where we can pray on our knees and speak out loud, but sometimes we have to simply take the time we have to get started. Consider putting your phone away during these in-between moments, because we often use technology to fill up these gaps. Fill them up with God instead.
Embrace Unique Communication
Communication with God can take on many different forms. Remember what He said in the Doctrine and Covenants about the song of the righteous being a prayer unto Him? Don’t be afraid to find connection through unique means. Sing a song, dance, write, journal, create something, learn something. If we focus our hearts on God during activities like these, we are experiencing a form of prayer.
Focus on Others
Elder David A. Bednar once said, “Just as expressing gratitude more often in our prayers enlarges the conduit for revelation, so praying for others with all of the energy of our souls increases our capacity to hear and to heed the voice of the Lord.”
If you’re struggling to pray consistently, try thinking more about those you love and interact with. Try to pray for them throughout the day and as you come across them. Putting off the tendency to focus on ourselves can be a major boost of light to our hearts.
Repair Your Relationship
Struggles with prayer most often reflect a struggle we have with God. Ponder on some of the underlying reasons you find praying to God difficult. Is it hard to make time for God because you don’t feel He makes time for you? Do you worry He won’t answer or that He isn’t listening? Are you not ready to act on what He says? Focus on learning more about the nature of God and repairing any damage to your relationship with your Heavenly Parents. As we better understand who we are and who God is, prayer will be more natural.
What are some ways you strive to have a heart full of constant prayer?
