Why is it so much harder to live it, than to read it?

I definitely have this problem, and I definitely do not have any good advice. This is ascesis - it actually requires denying ourselves at some point, and I am very much a slave to myself.

Why?
Because you have to get off your duff and do it.

"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult, and left untried."
GKC

Ignatius21 said:

Just lamenting how difficult it is to, oh say, pray for 10 minutes when I'd rather stare at a wall...and yet it can be so easy to waste hours discussing prayer with people on the Internet...or worse, debating about it.

I don't know how many books I've read on fasting now. But boy, when someone brought pizza into our office the other day, I just figured what the heck, the sausage won't eat itself! Not that there's sin in eating sausage, but really, if I can't resist the urge for a slice of pizza "in the heat of the moment," what good am I when a REAL temptation comes?

Anyone else have this problem? Anyone find any concrete, practical steps that help when it's time to pray, and you start finding excuses of why you can put it off another hour?

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I'm guessing its because it involves sacrifice. And our brains will do a lot to trick us out of denying ourselves.

As far as prayer is concerned, I think it is in earnestness that is crucial more so than length of time. While one should devote time to for prayer, we need to pray to begin with. There have been days when I just prayed for a couple of.minutes while walking a fair distance from my car to our office. In a case like this, I just might say the Trinity, the Jesus prayer, the 2 great commands, & conclude with the Lord's Prayer. This is brief but it keeps me on track to struggle & do better.

As far as fasting, this is a challenge but I will at least keep vegetarian, eat sparingly even if I often fall short within the vegan prescription. There have been times when our office has ordered pizza on Friday but I just stick to plain & a couple of people are vegetarian.

oh absolutely. the devil knows our weakness because he has been watching us from our beginning, so he throws every temptation he can our way. that's one of the ways you know you are following God. if you were intentionally doing what the devil wanted, he would leave you alone.

One thing I've found helpful is to keep something small and church related (e.g. a tiny prayer rope) in the pocket of whatever coat I'm wearing on a given day. If (when) I'm struggling to keep a rule of prayer each evening and morning, I'll occasionally brush said object when walking and it will remind me to pray a little bit - at least to pray something.

I also find my patience improves dramatically when I remember that forced periods of waiting (e.g. at airports, stoplights, lines, etc.) are gifts from God where I literally cannot have any expectations placed on me (I'm waiting in a line!) and, for a few moments, I can pray if I'm mindful enough. I don't do this often enough, but find that it helps a lot when I do.

Having a short, memorized chunk of Psalmody helps too, for right before bed (just when you're turning out the light), so you at least say one prayer before falling asleep. Even just sitting in silence for 5 minutes in the bathroom while the shower warms up can become prayerful - even if we are too groggy for words. An icon in the bathroom can help as a reminder of this. There are many things that are part of our morning grooming routine (brushing teeth, deoderant, shower, shave and/or beard-grooming, etc.), including a regular short prayer moment in there can't hurt.

And then, I have to remember that as a parent (and you have a lot more kiddos than I do!), my family is a big big chunk of my prayer life, and I have to make sure I'm not stretched soooo thin trying to be holy that I'm cross with my little one -because then I've missed the whole point (which is to love as God loves). It is not unholy to take periods of rest when those periods of rest allow one to be patient and gentle with one's sacramental vocation: family.

Still, like you, I know I should and could be praying more than I am. It is a constant battle.

“It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.” -Screwtape

Yes, it's a struggle. I am right with you all.

I chose this name for a reason : /

Glad im not the only one who has this problem, in fact I was just going through this a few mins ago

Praying is very difficult for me, especially by the prayer book. I came to Christianity by reading, discussing, scrutinizing, and other pursuits that would be categorized as intellectual. As a result it is difficult for me to do something if I don't understand why I am doing it, or if I don't think it helps. I need to grow in the supra-rational aspects of the faith.

Sometimes basic understandings in penitent humility can do wonders. For ex. with prayer & alms giving; if you can see the connection of giving to charity & the Lord's prayer as an intercession for your neighbor, you hope to further daily & spiritual well being individually & toward others.

My problem with prayer is that I have to DO it. My prayer rule was short, and I'm not THAT busy. After all, I'm on here plenty of time, aren't I? But it's always one more thing I need to do first, one more distraction.

I actually love to pray. Once I get started, I usually go for longer than I plan. But I guess that's actually a problem. It means when I'm looking for "time to pray" I need even more, which makes it even harder to get away.

My priest said - stop that! LOL, he told me not to pray so long. Which kind of bothered me ... my goal was to do more, after all? And I enjoy it once I'm doing it.

But instead he said pray very short prayers. Even just the Trisagion, and maybe Our Father. And that's all. (It really bothered me that he suggested that.) But he also said I was to do it much more often.

I'm still working on the "more often" part. I'm tempted to set a timer to ring regularly, and spend just a couple minutes in prayer. If I can truly prepare myself and not just do an obligatory recitation, that would probably work. I'm concerned if I'm "interrupted" I may not apply myself well. So I try to remember when I go into a certain room (I have a cross over that doorway). Or when I'm waiting. Or when someone asks for prayer online.

What I have learned from more often/shorter is that it DOES serve to draw my mind to a different sort of attitude toward God, and that is good. It also helps my "personal" prayers have much more immediacy than they have had in years (or whatever you call the kind of prayers that aren't formal ones).

I do miss my longer formal prayers though. Right now I'm not saying them at all. I remember my favorite parts though, and say just those parts.

I have zero help with fasting. My challenges with that are due to my own situation, and my priest has been helpful to me, but it wouldn't translate to anyone else's situation.

But instead he said pray very short prayers. Even just the Trisagion, and maybe Our Father. And that's all. (It really bothered me that he suggested that.) But he also said I was to do it much more often.

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my priest would always tell me that a short prayer done in sincerity is much better than a long prayer that is not. quality that builds into quanity.

Here are some thoughts on practical things to help with prayer.

- Someone above mentioned carrying a prayer rope with you. I do this and have found it helpful.

- If you do much driving to work or running errands, turn off the radio and use that time for prayer.

- I once had a digital watch that could be set to chime on the hour. Every time it went off it I used it as a reminder to pause and say an "arrow prayer".

- Going for a walk on your lunch break. This works for me as I have an hour break and can generally finish eating in 15 - 20 mins.

- Create a Word document (or the equivalent) with a prayer on it that's meaningful to you. Create a shortcut for it and place it in your "Startup" folder on your computer (PC - don't know if Mac has an equivalent feature.). Every time you log into your computer it will automatically popup reminding you.

- This is one I haven't put in to practice but probably should - Make a commitment to say a prayer every time before you unlock your cell phone. With the amount of time I spend on my phone I'd probably become a saint in short order

ArmyMatt said:

my priest would always tell me that a short prayer done in sincerity is much better than a long prayer that is not. quality that builds into quanity.

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My problem is ... that when I start out, I'm not that sincere. When I've been praying for a couple of minutes, I start to get deeply into it, and then I want to keep going and not stop.

Now, someone who knows about such things would probably tell me that I'm showing some kind of character flaw in that, and should just keeping doing the short, frequent prayers.

Regardless, since that is what my priest has said to do, that's what I do. And in a short time, it actually HAS changed my attitude toward God (not that it was bad before, but I am increasingly aware of my dependence on Him). And it has seemed to really enrich my other prayers ... when I am blocked off for a time I nearly always start to pray personal prayers, and the attitude of my prayer is shaped by the formal prayers. I can't explain it, but it has been very good for me, and deepened my prayer life considerably. Those are the prayers I still most enjoy though.

Regardless, since that is what my priest has said to do, that's what I do. And in a short time, it actually HAS changed my attitude toward God (not that it was bad before, but I am increasingly aware of my dependence on Him). And it has seemed to really enrich my other prayers ... when I am blocked off for a time I nearly always start to pray personal prayers, and the attitude of my prayer is shaped by the formal prayers. I can't explain it, but it has been very good for me, and deepened my prayer life considerably. Those are the prayers I still most enjoy though.

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sounds about right

Pathetic ascetic said:

Here are some thoughts on practical things to help with prayer.

- Someone above mentioned carrying a prayer rope with you. I do this and have found it helpful.

- If you do much driving to work or running errands, turn off the radio and use that time for prayer.

- I once had a digital watch that could be set to chime on the hour. Every time it went off it I used it as a reminder to pause and say an "arrow prayer".

- Going for a walk on your lunch break. This works for me as I have an hour break and can generally finish eating in 15 - 20 mins.

- Create a Word document (or the equivalent) with a prayer on it that's meaningful to you. Create a shortcut for it and place it in your "Startup" folder on your computer (PC - don't know if Mac has an equivalent feature.). Every time you log into your computer it will automatically popup reminding you.

- This is one I haven't put in to practice but probably should - Make a commitment to say a prayer every time before you unlock your cell phone. With the amount of time I spend on my phone I'd probably become a saint in short order

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I actually do some of these! Wherever I read something, i.e. Psalms, Church Fathers prayers. I make notes in MS Word. Walking during lunch is great too.

Another thing I have learned is that Satan will "help us" set up for fasts knowing that we will fail. Then he can mock us and our failure. So it is necessary to take "baby steps" when we start to fast. So if we fail it is easier for us to get right back up and continue.

For driving I have gotten tired of listening to the radio, so I listen to hymns/chants/sermons and audio books.

Yeznik said:

I actually do some of these! Wherever I read something, i.e. Psalms, Church Fathers prayers. I make notes in MS Word. Walking during lunch is great too.

Another thing I have learned is that Satan will "help us" set up for fasts knowing that we will fail. Then he can mock us and our failure. So it is necessary to take "baby steps" when we start to fast. So if we fail it is easier for us to get right back up and continue.

For driving I have gotten tired of listening to the radio, so I listen to hymns/chants/sermons and audio books.

Click to expand...

Walking does do a lot in regards to development - especially when praying the Psalms or prayers of the Church Fathers. When combining that with fasting in small steps, it helps a lot. I'm glad for the daily prayers ...