Praying, repetitiveness, concentration

[ev-8891]

Empty words in prayer mean nothing. One has to pray from the heart.

Well you asked:

Do you find prayer repetitive? Do you loose concentration when praying?
Sometimes i rush my prayers without a lot of thought.

That's why my suggestion is to slow down the prayers.

 

[Goatee]

Well you asked:



That's why my suggestion is to slow down the prayers.

I agree. Always good to slow down the prayers. Your advice is much appreciated. Thank you

 

[BeStill&Know]

Prayer appears to be many things. Times we should be still and quiet and lay our heads on the heart of Jesus to hear what His desires are for us to pray. At times when this is done, the answers come.
Matthew 18:20
20 Where two or more gather in my name, I will be with them.
Other times His Word, The Lord's Prayer and Psalms reminds us in our dull times who He is and who we are and how greatly we are blessed because of the Father His Son and their gift to us Holy Spirit.

 

[Radrook]

I really don't see any logic in having to repeat the same request to a heavenly father who heard us the first time in order for him to get our message, appreciate the urgency, and feel that we deserve a response. He isn't deaf! He knows full well what we need. So why imagine him as acting coy or making himself difficult to reach? Would we do that to our kids? If indeed we know of a human parent who acts that way towards his kids we will readily tag him as a bad parent in need of losing custody.

 

[tturt]

We don't have to use the exact same terminology each time. According to The Lord's Prayer (Luk 11) , there can be repetition in prayer. It's not for Him but for us. For example, it's asking for our daily bread. Then "When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee." Deut 8:10 and "...they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks." John 6:23 So there's asking, expecting, receiving, and being thankful to Yahweh.

Of course, "bread" means more than food. "Yeshua told them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never become hungry, and whoever believes in me will never become thirsty." Includes "whoever comes to me" so there's the asking and expecting/believing, receiving because they'll never be hungry or thirsty and being thankful to our Father.

 

[Radrook]

We don't have to use the exact same terminology each time. According to The Lord's Prayer (Luk 11) , there can be repetition in prayer. It's not for Him but for us. For example, it's asking for our daily bread. Then "When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee." Deut 8:10 and "...they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks." John 6:23 So there's asking, expecting, receiving, and being thankful to Yahweh.

Of course, "bread" means more than food. "Yeshua told them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never become hungry, and whoever believes in me will never become thirsty." Includes "whoever comes to me" so there's the asking and expecting/believing, receiving because they'll never be hungry or thirsty and being thankful to our Father.

Why doesn't God desist with the silence and openly reveal himself to his creatures?
Just curious. Why all this peekaboo hiding modus operandi?

 

[tturt]

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what's being said.

Yahweh reveals Himself every minute.

"This is the day Yahweh has made..." Psa 118:24

"Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:" Isa 42:5 +++++++

Among other things, Yahweh shows Himself with nature, The Bible, and even our next breath.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Why doesn't God desist with the silence and openly reveal himself to his creatures?
Just curious. Why all this peekaboo hiding modus operandi?

Why does God do anything? He knows far better than we do what is best in any given situation, time, and for a particular person.

Sometimes He wishes for us to seek Him. Why would we if He did not encourage us to do so?

There may be seasons in our spiritual life when everything is easy and we are encouraged. But as we grow stronger, He desires to make us stronger still, and sometimes that involves effort, or difficulty, or seeking.

Parents don't always hold the hands of children who are learning to walk. The children need to put effort into it themselves in order to become able.

 

[com7fy8]

Do you find prayer repetitive? Do you loose concentration when praying?

Sometimes i rush my prayers without a lot of thought. This is wrong i know. I do try to concentrate but do find it hard.

Prayer includes submission to God, being attentive and sensitive to God in His love >

"praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God" (in Jude 20-21)

The prayer of the Holy Spirit includes communication deeper than words > "with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26).

Love's communication, then, in prayer, is not only words.

 

[Raggedyman]

Do you find prayer repetitive? Do you loose concentration when praying?

Sometimes i rush my prayers without a lot of thought. This is wrong i know. I do try to concentrate but do find it hard.

For those of us who recite the Rosary (Please, no Catholic Bashing on this) i also get lost in the day etc when praying the Rosary.

I know this is all normal but i really do wish i could push aside thoughts of the day, of life and just concentrate on God alone!

Is this the same for you or not. If not, help!

I use to pray the Lord's Prayer then one day I tried saying it meaning every word of the praye, actually meaning instead of parroting it, harder than I thought it could be. Still hard
I recon praying in a whispered voice helps with concentration, audible prayers
Makes me focus

 

[~Anastasia~]

I use to pray the Lord's Prayer then one day I tried saying it meaning every word of the praye, actually meaning instead of parroting it, harder than I thought it could be. Still hard
I recon praying in a whispered voice helps with concentration, audible prayers
Makes me focus

Good observation. Attentiveness can be a struggle, but a worthwhile one.

That's something I learned from formal prayers as well, that I did not previously.

 

[BeStill&Know]

I really don't see any logic in having to repeat the same request to a heavenly father who heard us the first time in order for him to get our message, appreciate the urgency, and feel that we deserve a response. He isn't deaf! He knows full well what we need. So why imagine him as acting coy or making himself difficult to reach? Would we do that to our kids? If indeed we know of a human parent who acts that way towards his kids we will readily tag him as a bad parent in need of losing custody.

Good morning, there is only logic if you recall the old prophets who would pray how ever they were being led to. Hours days weeks...
Recall Jesus also woke up early every morning to pray. And he fasted and prayed. I understand that there are forces at work to delay or destroy our prayers to our Heavenly Father. Perhaps (not a repetition prayer) but a prayer request from His heart to ours to pray help defeat our enemy.
Daniel 10
O Daniel, greatly beloved of God,” he said, “stand up and listen carefully to what I have to say to you, for God has sent me to you.” So I stood up, still trembling with fear.
12 Then the Angel said, “Don’t be frightened, Daniel, for your request has been heard in heaven and was answered the very first day you began to fast before the Lord and pray for understanding; that very day I was sent here to meet you. 13 But for twenty-one days the mighty Evil Spirit who overrules the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the top officers of the heavenly army, came to help me, so that I was able to break through these spirit rulers of Persia.
Adonai is not boring. Look around His creation. If we are bored in any facet of our association with Him there is a dis-connect somewhere.

 

[BeStill&Know]

Why doesn't God desist with the silence and openly reveal himself to his creatures?
Just curious. Why all this peekaboo hiding modus operandi?

Jesus did reveal Himself to His creatures, that path (the eye gate) did not work for those who did not have eyes to see. He also spoke for 3 years (the ear gate) yet those who did not have ears to hear, did not hear. Yet He healed those who were blind and deaf if they want to see.
Matthew 13:16
so they won’t see and hear and understand and turn to God again, and let me heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.

 

[Radrook]

Jesus did reveal Himself to His creatures, that path (the eye gate) did not work for those who did not have eyes to see. He also spoke for 3 years (the ear gate) yet those who did not have ears to hear, did not hear. Yet He healed those who were blind and deaf if they want to see.
Matthew 13:16
so they won’t see and hear and understand and turn to God again, and let me heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.

I'm talking about NOW not some two thousand years ago when atheism wasn't in vogue as it is today and the mockery about his existence is running rampant. Why the roundaboutness? Why not a constant direct communication as was the case in Eden? Silence only encourages atheistic doubts.

 

[BeStill&Know]

I'm talking about NOW not some two thousand years ago when atheism wasn't in vogue as it is today and the mockery about his existence is running rampant. Why the roundaboutness? Why not a constant direct communication as was the case in Eden? Silence only encourages atheistic doubts.

Atheism was not in vogue but idolatry was. Why does it matter about whats in vogue and mockery? It has NEVER been in vogue to believe in the God of the Bible. People always mocked His followers, and even murdered them, even in the Old Testament. So what's new?. God says His people are a remnant, not a majority. Eden, Adam and Eve both saw and spoke to Him daily in a perfect environment provided by the Lord, but did that stop them from deciding to rebel against Him?
By the way, many today hear and see facets of the God of the Bible.
If you are not one of them, then are you desiring to follow His Word so you will see and hear Him?
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

 

[BeStill&Know]

Matthew 6:7-8
“Don’t recite the same prayer over and over as the heathen do, who think prayers are answered only by repeating them again and again. Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
What would any human person think was going on with you if you said the same exact words to them everyday? Isn't God greater than His creation?

 

[~Anastasia~]

The Living Bible isn't the best translation to understand what the Scriptures actually say ...

Christ Himself prayed the same prayer in Gethsemane repeatedly.

Seems to me that we can't have a better example.

But I do understand why people read the passage against "vain repetition" and assume that it means "all repetition is vain". But I think we do well to consider that we should not pray long prayers, thinking we are doing something good because we use so many words. Without the heart, many words are useless - and so in vain, and only feed our sense of vanity as well.

 

[Hallstone]

The Living Bible isn't the best translation to understand what the Scriptures actually say ...

Christ Himself prayed the same prayer in Gethsemane repeatedly.

Seems to me that we can't have a better example.

But I do understand why people read the passage against "vain repetition" and assume that it means "all repetition is vain". But I think we do well to consider that we should not pray long prayers, thinking we are doing something good because we use so many words. Without the heart, many words are useless - and so in vain, and only feed our sense of vanity as well.

Anyone that would present themselves before the King and stand there and repeat something over and over 100 times in a row is behaving foolishly and is insulting the King, and would not derive any spiritual benefit from it at all except some egotistical profit, which is evil.
Eccl 5:1 Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.
Eccl 5:2 Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.
Eccl 5:3 For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.

 

[Hallstone]

a

 

[~Anastasia~]

Anyone that would present themselves before the King and stand there and repeat something over and over 100 times in a row is behaving foolishly and is insulting the King, and would not derive any spiritual benefit from it at all except some egotistical profit, which is evil.
Eccl 5:1 Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.
Eccl 5:2 Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.
Eccl 5:3 For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.

If it were condemned, why did Christ do it?

Matthew 26
39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40 And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? 41 Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.

There are certainly vain prayers. Prayers can be empty and vain, whether they are repeated or made up on the spot. But by the same token, just because something is repeated does not make it vain.

Do you think praying the Psalms is evil?

And as far as repetition, if a man tells his wife every day that he loves her, does that make it vain and false?

We should use wisdom in discerning such things. Sometimes people criticize what they don't understand, because they make assumptions about it. But if it is not their practice, they often have no idea what they are really talking about.