Tuesday, September 26, 2023 - No More Excuses

Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and he will hear my voice.

Psalm 55:17

Rolheiser says that there are several reasons we do not pray regularly. He lists our most frequently used excuses: too busy, too tired, and too many demands. We all know these reasons well, but this author tells us that there is another reason that we fail to pray. We have this desire that our prayer will be or needs to be “exciting, intense, and full of energy all the time.” He says that this is impossible. He compares prayer to eating. No one would want a banquet every day. Just like we respect the natural balance of eating choices, we should also do the same with prayer.

We must not allow our lofty expectations about our prayer times to cause disillusionment. This kind of mindset only douses water on the flame of the Holy Spirit. We must learn to live in the reality of what prayer really is. It is communicating with a Holy God—talking and listening to him. Prayer takes on various forms and moods, depending on a variety of factors. One day in our desperation, we may engage God in an emotionally charged prayer; while on another occasion, our prayer form may be a simple conversation. The only expectation we should have is that when we go to God, he meets us there.

PRAYER: Lord, there are times when I know that I should pray, but I come up with other things to do. Lord, give me a praying spirit. Teach me to say “yes” to your unction to pray. I cannot do it without you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Rolheiser, Ronald. Prayer: Our Deepest Longing. Cincinnati, Ohio: Franciscan Media, 2013.