PRAY BECAUSE GOD C-A-R-E-S

I wrote a post titled "WHY WE DON’T PRAY?" last Oct 15 as part of the #PrayerSeries. Today, I want to level up by discussing MAKING PRAYER A HABIT.

Prayer is hard work. It can be daunting.

It's like climbing a high mountain.

Making prayer a habit is like climbing a high mountain every day!
But no relationship will flourish if you don't invest time regularly.

Allow me to offer these 5 points on how you can make PRAYER a HABIT. Remember to make PRAYER A HABIT coz God C-A-R-E-S.

* C-HOOSE TO DO IT. Forming any habit requires both DECISION & ACTION. Making a DECISION to PRAY. Then ACT on it by finding a good location & time that works for you. God is ready to listen to us 24/7. It takes 21 days to make an action a habit so put it in your calendar. You fill your calendar with work meetings, your child's school events, reunions & other important stuff. Why should God not be in your calendar? Choose to pray to make it a habit.

* A-PPOINT A PRAYER PARTNER. Accountability makes us more responsible. If you want to make prayer a habit then ask a trusted friend to check on you regularly. Allow your friend to ask you, “How was your prayer time this week? How can it further improve next week?” It would be good if you can make it mutual where you can also make your friend accountable too. Check on each other because Christianity is designed for team play not individual effort.

* R-EAD THE BIBLE. We can hear God when we read our Bible each day. This almighty, holy, perfect God speaks to un-worthy, sinful creatures like us. Isn't that a blessing? Reading the bible makes our prayers more focused & clear. Reading the bible allows us to follow Him. As Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27)

* E-STABLISH A PATTERN. Choosing a pattern for prayer helps you pray more consistently. If you can play a musical instrument why not always start with a worship song? Then follow it up with bible reading & personal reflection. You can also use daily devotionals like Didache or follow Pathways of Hope to help you reflect on the daily Gospel. Establish a pattern to make prayer a habit.

* S-EEK GOD'S HELP. Praying regularly may look impossible but Jesus says in Matthew 19:26 that, “...for God all things are possible." So ask for God's help to make your prayer time regular. We need to change our hearts so we can appreciate why we need to pray regularly. We need God's help to redirect our fickle, selfish & distracted hearts to God's will. Ask for God's help today. He delights to help you in your prayer time.

Prayer is a gift & with God's grace it can become a habit for you. Do yourself a favor by getting into the prayer habit.

You need it. I need it. We all need it.

Praying that you have a super blessed weekend! - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

#shareaboutJesus #PrayerSeries