5 ways I am eliminating perfunctory prayer in my life
I struggle with my prayer life.
I am inconsistent too much. And even when I am consistent with prayer time, I find myself distracted often.
One of the bigger struggles I’ve had with my prayer is perfunctory prayer. For me perfunctory prayer is a minimal effort to connect with God. At best, I am going through the motions. At worst, I tell someone I will pray for them, but I don’t.
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Recently, I made five changes that have moved me toward a more robust prayer life. Yes, I still have a long way to go. Still, these five changes give me hope that my prayer life will be more meaningful and less perfunctory.
1. When I tell someone I will pray for them, I really pray for them. I am ashamed to think of the number of times I told someone I will pray for them, but I don’t follow through. I am lying to the person I promised, and I am lying to God. I’ve asked God to give me a greater awareness of this sin in my life, so I don’t repeat it.
2. I have stopped using “prayer” in my greetings and other incidental conversations. Here is what I mean. I’ve written emails where I say something like, “I pray your year is going well.” Sadly, I did not really pray for that person to have a great year. I used prayer as a figure of speech. Such words on my part minimize and trivialize prayer.
3. When someone asks me to pray for them, I do so on the spot if possible. Instead of merely affirming I will pray for someone who requests prayer from me, I do so on the spot. Again, I am ashamed to think how many times I responded affirmatively to prayer requests but forgot about them.
4. I use a prayer app. So that I truly remember to pray for people, I enter the prayer need on a prayer app. Now, when I have my prayer time, I am able to see those prayer requests one by one. I am also able to see all the answers to my prayers. There are several prayer apps available. I use Echo Prayer.
5. I will not talk about my prayer life to make me look more spiritual. My prayer life has a long way to go. If I hint in any way that I am some super saint with an unmatched prayer life, I am lying. I still struggle with prayer. I just want to struggle less.
For years, I used the ACTS acronym to guide my prayer life: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. Several years ago, I moved confession to the beginning of my prayer time. It was my own conviction that I needed to confess my sins first before I could get into other areas of prayer. So now my order of prayer is confession, adoration, thanksgiving, intercession (for others), and supplication (for me). Yes, I admit CATIS is not a very memorable acronym.
I would love to hear from you about your prayer life. I learn so much when I listen to other believers to hear how God is working in their lives.
Originally published at Church Answers.
Thom S. Rainer is the founder and CEO of Church Answers, an online community and resource for church leaders. Prior to founding Church Answers, Rainer served as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources.
Rainer has written over 30 books, including three that reached number one bestseller: I Am a Church Member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church, and Simple Church. His new book, The Post-Quarantine Church: Six Urgent Challenges and Opportunities That Will Determine the Future of Your Congregation, is available now.
