Flexing Your Prayer Muscles

You can’t scroll Facebook or open your mail without some advertisements for self-improvement. They’re mostly exercise or diet related: machines, gyms, fads, magical drinks that make you not hungry. There’s always something new to try to make people get into what the world considers ‘good shape.’

I’m horrible at fitting in new exercise routines. Once, I had a bad shoulder and I needed to do physical therapy. I was awful at remembering, let alone actually forcing myself to do it! If I made it to bed before I realized I’d forgotten it, it was too late! No way was I getting up for that! I did try in the beginning though. On some occasions, I had tried a new walk/jogging routine. Failed in a week. A new 4-minute exercise routine each evening - four minutes! So easy! Failed in two weeks. Another short exercise routine involved yoga. I tried it while my husband was home (he usually works overnights) and gave up after one night. I won’t go into details, but he’s graciously not reminded me of it again.

People try to come up with quick ways to enhance or encourage themselves into getting into those good habits of eating right and exercising, be it a fad or a simple quick-fix or a four-minute routine. Some people are crazy good at it; results are there and everyone wants to try it. So what’s the hang-up for the rest of us?

For me, it’s two things mostly: time and commitment. It’s about 11pm by the time I can try any additional routine and I’m exhausted. Also, I’m completely forgetful! It’s the ADHD, but it’s also a full plate of motherhood, husband-going-through-school, and a full time job. I also volunteer, but you get the picture. We’re all busy, all at different levels and in different ways, but busy nonetheless.

What would be a great help is pure motivation. That’s the third thing. With my shoulder issue, I was good in the beginning when my shoulder hurt, but as it got better, I was less motivated to improve. I would forget to do my PT exercises because I’d forgotten about the issue. The pain wasn’t there to remind me. My shoulder still gets stiff sometimes and it’s harder to work it out, but if I had been good for longer, maybe even that wouldn’t happen.

No one likes to be in pain. People want to feel good. God wants us to feel good (3 John 1:2). And so, the same can be said about prayer. We shouldn’t just pray when we (or someone we know) is in need. He wants us to pray all the time because He’s our Father, always listening, and He wants to be in constant connection with us. Mary insisted that we pray the rosary daily. St. Paul said to pray without ceasing in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). Jesus prayed on a number of occasions in the Bible (Luke 3:21, Luke 22:41, Luke 6:12, of course Matthew 6:9-13, & Mark 14:35 to name a few.)

So what’s the hang-up people may have with praying more? Same thing as any other routine: time, commitment, and motivation.

Time. First of all, if you drive, can’t fall asleep right away, need five more minutes in bed before getting up, are eating lunch (or breakfast or dinner) alone, or with a friend, are alone for any reason, walking down the hall, walking up stairs, waiting for a bus, phone call, email, you-name-it… you have some time. You don’t need lots of time, because conversations can be short or long or anywhere in between. You don’t have to speak aloud or even move your lips, although I do better alone and speaking aloud. You don’t need a rosary if you have knuckles, or a cross, or any religious item. You are a temple of the Holy Spirit and need only call upon Him for help. You, my friend, have time. You can do this.

Commitment. That’s a whole different ballfield for many of us. I committed myself to praying the rosary before bed, but, again, I get to bed so late sometimes that I can’t do the whole thing. Get to bed early, I tell myself. I do try, but when I can’t, I don’t give up. I say a short, one-decade rosary along with my ad-lib prayers for those I love. I have a cross I use: I make the sign of the cross on one side and land in the middle to make five Hail Marys, then I repeat on the other side. I could just use my rosary (or my knuckles), but the cross is special to me and I kind of like this method. Do I do this each night? Sadly, no, but I keep coming back to it because…

Motivation. Don’t let pain be your only motivation. Let your love for others, your self-worth and wanting to better yourself for the purpose of God’s will, and the love of the Lord Himself be your true motivation. We can’t just wait to need God; we have to always want God. He always loves us, so let’s always love Him. When my husband or I come home, my kids are excited to see us. They don’t need a special reason in order to greet us joyously. (They’re young and I know that will change soon.) We should love our Father in the same way that a little child loves his or her parents: unconditionally, at any time, for no special need-related reason at all.

If we can put these things together, we may have a self-improvement prayer fix right here. Make time count; you already have it, just find it and use it wisely. Be committed, even when you forget and fail, just come back and re-commit (1 John 1:9). Be motivated and for the right reasons. Yes, go to God your great need, but also go to Him to say how your day was and talk some things out. He loves hearing from all His children.

This isn’t some short-lived fad to trim the fat and burn calories. This is an old-as-time, tried and true method to grow our relationship with our Loving Father. I challenge you to give it a try, again and again (2 Timothy 4:7). Be all-in to the end (like Toby states so eloquently here) and find your way to make it work. We may all have different methods but one thing is certain: this world needs more prayer!

(For more help, try: Eph 6:18, Rom 8:26, 1 Tim 2:8, or 2 Chron 7:14.)