Over the past year, I’ve felt an increasing desire to incorporate more prayer time into my day. There’s something cathartic about quiet prayer time. Oftentimes, I'll feel the benefit almost immediately. The challenge with finding these time blocks for increased prayer is that time is finite. Quality prayer takes quality time.

My bookshelf is full of books that I want to read. I have a list of 20 books in my reading queue, all of which I can't wait to read. The same is true of my prayer life. There are so many devotionals, so many books for spiritual readings, and so many ways to pray. Each offers a unique twist on my daily prayer time. I want to try them all, but like my reading queue, I must be patient and take them one at a time.

There are two main challenges to daily prayer: time and cycle. These are the same two challenges that we face anytime we make a change for the better in our lives. We have so few hours in the day to give to our pursuits. What must I give up so that I can use that time for prayer? The idea of a cycle is the recognition that there will be times of great growth and times of isolation. How can I take advantage of the periods of growth to sustain me through the spiritual winters?

I intended for this article to be a simple reminder for me. I need to be serious about integrating prayer into my daily life. Prayer is a priority and so I must treat it as such. If I'm able to cultivate a rich interior life, my family and those whom I meet will reap the benefits. I need to do more than just cultivate my prayer life, I need to encourage my family by inviting them to join me. It’s easy for me to grasp that daily prayer will improve my life, I just need to put it into action.

Tags: Prayer