Perseverance through Prayer

[RileyG]

How do you persevere through prayer when your mind tends to wander and it "feels" like you are going nowhere?

For example:

"Heavenly Father, thank you for XYZ, please have mercy on XYZ.....**mind goes blank***..."

 

[SavedByGrace3]

How do you persevere through prayer when your mind tends to wander and it "feels" like you are going nowhere?

For example:

"Heavenly Father, thank you for XYZ, please have mercy on XYZ.....**mind goes blank***..."

I think there might be something distracting you? Maybe some worry or concern?
If so, go deal with the distraction and then come back. This happens to me when I have some task I know needs doing. I can't just forget about it, so I will just go get it done.
I find that if I have recently had an interaction with someone, for some reason, my mind plays it over and over again.
It may just be you are physically or mentally tired. I am bad about going into prayer and suddenly waking up from a few second long nap.
I feel terrible about it. I remember:

Mark 14:37 KJV
37. And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon,
sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

 

[Unqualified]

Short prayers are good.

persevere in prayer, don’t quit praying.

persevere through prayer, pray for strength and endurance.

 

[RileyG]

thank you both

 

[Wings like Eagles]

I always wake up in the morning hoping I did not fall asleep praying the night before.

 

[RileyG]

I always wake up in the morning hoping I did not fall asleep praying the night before.

...there's a saying angels finish our prayers for us if we fall asleep! ever heard of it?

 

[joymercy]

I've fallen asleep praying in a meditative state on the rosary, in particular just peacefully praying it in the quite of the night, imagining her purity and beauty, talking to her in my heart, asking her to pray for me to have her virtues, and then reflecting on each of those virtues

think of her with her purity...then her patience.....then her prudence......imagine her in each of those situations which required those virtues

and honor her with your awe....cherish her with your love....remembering her as being your mother.....ask her to hold you and keep you safe...

reflecting on her prudence in being silent and pondering things instead of being overly emotional....and asking her to help me in each area to be like her.....

to ask her to intercede for me to have a heart like her heart

to go over my goals and align them with her and to do them through her.....

when you cant sleep, riley....talk to her....like this, perhaps with candle light

 

[RileyG]

Thank you for your beautiful advice.

God bless you

 

[joymercy]

Thank you for your beautiful advice.

God bless you

The key may be simplicity.....

 

[RileyG]

The key may be simplicity.....

Amen! Reminds me of something St. Therese said

 

[NBB]

You could ask the same over and over again, and God is not going to dislike you, he sees the need and the heart, pretty words are not really too needed.
You can pray even when playing videogames/watching tv or doing something else, the 'keep praying always' i just say has in consideration we do other stuff too, and that we are weak. Worst is to try be too ceremonial and won't pray as much.

 

[Wings like Eagles]

...there's a saying angels finish our prayers for us if we fall asleep! ever heard of it?

No I have not but sounds like something I should consider.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

How do you persevere through prayer when your mind tends to wander and it "feels" like you are going nowhere?

For example:

"Heavenly Father, thank you for XYZ, please have mercy on XYZ.....**mind goes blank***..."

Start your prayer, with Jesus please help me to pray….it’s amazing!

 

[RileyG]

Start your prayer, with Jesus please help me to pray….it’s amazing!

Thank you for the recommendation. I will do that.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

Thank you for the recommendation. I will do that.

I just started doing this, it has worked wonders.

God bless!

 

[Unqualified]

How do you persevere through prayer when your mind tends to wander and it "feels" like you are going nowhere?

For example:

"Heavenly Father, thank you for XYZ, please have mercy on XYZ.....**mind goes blank***..."

memorize scripture, use it in powerful prayer.

 

[ari.sketch]

lol, yup, been there, done that, still happening

I think all of us have struggled with this
Myself included, and I did read and grateful for all the advice and suggestions given, will definitely try them.

I'm trying to approach prayer with more reverence as well, we get to talk to God - that just blew my mind, we get to talk, converse with God.

Depending if you're the visual type, sometimes I try to picture a scene with me and God or me and Jesus - either walking through a garden, or by the sea of Galilee, etc. Basically, using visual to help me focus on Him.

At times I would also tell, command my body and soul to pay attention and focus.

And always be genuine, be respectful, but also be yourself.

God bless you in your prayer journey, brother.
Good news is, God wants you to pray (spend time with Him), He wants you to succeed in this, and will help you grow in your prayer life.