On Prayer

Aug 27, 2010

Dear Father ....,

You asked me yesterday about what I do to avoid distractions in prayer and I replied I ask the Holy Spirit to help me pray and avoid distractions.

I should have also said that I still get distracted but that the Lord told me not to give up or get frustrated with prayer because I am distracted. Instead to realize that through persevering in prayer even though it may be difficult your perseverance in itself is a prayer of love and a sign of your love for God.

Also that I should see the distractions as little crosses that I am asked to carry and when I accept to carry them they can become doorways of grace for me and for others.

I should also understand that the distractions are often placed there by evil to stop me praying, even when I am drawn in to simple thoughts of life these thoughts are encouraged by evil so as to stop me thinking of God.

So prayer is a battle where each person confronts evil even though they may not realize this. It is a battle we can win by the grace of God by asking the Holy Spirit for the grace to persevere and to not get drawn into thoughts of self pity, disappointment or frustration when we are distracted.

Instead to offer those distractions themselves as a prayer of love to God and know even the prayer full of distractions is still a sign of your love for God because you have made the effort to pray and in love persevere in prayer.

God bless,

Alan Ames