Avoiding Mindless, Ritualistic Prayer

[JAM2b]

I've been struggling with this lately that I have been trying to break free of. There are some prayers that I pray a lot, repetitively, continuing to knock. After a while the words become habit and I have found that my mind starts to drift away while I speak the words without thinking or feeling.

I don't want my prayers to be this way. I want the words I speak to have meaning and intent. When I first start to say the words, my thoughts are on the prayer and what I'm concerned about. However, once the words start flowing my brain switches to autopilot and my thoughts drift elsewhere while I'm still rattling words out.

I've tried changing it up by using different words and things like that. It helps some.

Any tips?

 

[Sketcher]

I found myself doing this for prayers I've prayed before which were all for good things. I recognized the mental autopilot start, so I moved myself to meaning what I had started to pray.

 

[sampa]

I've been struggling with this lately that I have been trying to break free of. There are some prayers that I pray a lot, repetitively, continuing to knock. After a while the words become habit and I have found that my mind starts to drift away while I speak the words without thinking or feeling.

I don't want my prayers to be this way. I want the words I speak to have meaning and intent. When I first start to say the words, my thoughts are on the prayer and what I'm concerned about. However, once the words start flowing my brain switches to autopilot and my thoughts drift elsewhere while I'm still rattling words out.

I've tried changing it up by using different words and things like that. It helps some.

Any tips?

A couple ways that I like to mix it up, sometimes I might do some kind of fast. For me it's the Daniel fast because of health complications.
Other times I gather up all those that I'm going to be praying for and write it out on a piece of paper. Usually it takes some time. Then I go to some place for a prayer walk in the woods or some other place that might be picturesque. And sometimes I might send that picture to those I prayed for with a text or tag them in a picture on social media. I know that sounds a little bit superficial, but it's sort of another way to engage me.
Some people will speak scripture over different individuals as they pray.
Last lent season when I was doing the Daniel fast, I set aside my spare room that I have a weight bench, set up a table and soft rug for kneeling at the bench with the list of prayers that I had written. And I also put a timer set for 10 minutes. Amazingly when I spoke aloud prayers over each person, that time went by so quickly. I did that for one month once a week. It was a very rich time of prayer.

 

[DragonFox91]

Find blessings. I'm sure you have a lot to be thankful for. Give all that joy back to God. Like you've been revived.

Share your heart. What do you think about? What are you passionate about? What can you connect w/ to God?

 

[bèlla]

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