Prayer is the communication between God and yourself. But, this process could be frustrated when there is a distraction.
I remembered the story of a father and his son, Jonnie. The father was making a crucial call with his boss, but Jonnie was hitting the table and making a childish noise.
His father got distracted, and hit Jonnie on the head as he continued the phone conversation. There was silence in the room, but when the Father was through with the phone call, he looked back and saw the fainted poor boy.
…Jonnie came back to life, but the father spent a lot of money in the hospital…
Distraction can be annoying, but you have to use the right ways to avoid it. Today’s message will focus more on the solutions to adopt for a prayer that is free of distraction.
- Satisfy your Hunger
If you don’t have the ability to hold your hunger, then it is not a sin to satisfy the hunger. A troublesome stomach is a distraction that must be put under control for your prayers to go smoothly to the Lord.
- Silence your Phone/computer
If you want to enjoy your communication with the LORD, then you have to disconnect communication with man. It is a game of distraction if you are expecting an important phone call or email while praying to God.
- Rent a Private Apartment
The private apartment of Jesus for prayers was the mountain top. Mark chapter 6 verses 45 to 46: “Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.”
Don’t use a noisy venue for prayers to avoid distraction. Locate a quiet place!
- Choose the Right Time
A good fellowship with the Lord requires a specific time. So, your right time for prayers is your free time.
For example, the free time for Jesus was in the night, because no distraction from the people could disturb his communication with the LORD.
No thumb rule for the number of hours. If your strength can’t pray for more than 30 minutes, then don’t force yourself for another minute else distraction could set-in.
- Know your Audience Factor
For instance, you might get distracted by someone speaking in tongues (without interpretation) beside you during church prayers. Then your audience factor for prayers at that time is zero.
However, if you find it impossible to pray alone, then your audience factor at such moment is greater than one. For example, Jesus experienced both audience factors as recorded in the book of Mark chapter 14 verses 33 to 35:
“And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch…”
- Control your state of mind
Proverbs chapter 4 verse 23 says: “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
- Singing
If you are praying and you got ‘stuck’, then start singing to the Lord. The act of singing eliminates distraction, and it is also a medium for prayers.
- Quote Scriptures
Before praying, read the Bible and jot down some helpful verses. When distraction attempts to show up in your prayers, pick your jotter and read the quotes you wrote. Then more prayer points would flow into your brain.
- Settle Dispute
You can’t suffer anger and enjoy your prayers- impossible! Thus, take away malice, anger or hostility from your heart. Unholy fear, anger and sadness are strong weapons of distraction.
- Discard Prayer Books
Reading prayers that was written by another man cannot make you enjoy a genuine communication with the Lord. I called this a third party prayer of distraction.
Don’t spend your money on prayer books or CD, it is not scriptural. Pastors and Bishops selling such books are only after your money. Open your mouth and pray directly to the Lord and not through prayer books. Jesus says: “Ask and it shall be given.”
- Speaking in tongues
Many pastors tell their congregation to always speak in tongues when they are short of words during prayers. Please, don’t fall into such trap.
When speaking in tongues is not originated by the Lord, it causes more harm and distraction. …who knows if the ‘formed’ speaking in tongues are curses from the demons…?
- Change Prayer Position
There is no scriptural rule on the right posture for prayers. So, you can kneel down for a while, stand up, sit down or lie down at intervals. For instance, I stand up to pray at night when sleepy distraction sets in.
- Fasting
If you have the strength to ‘arrest hunger’, then fasting is a tool that takes care of distractions related to food; how to prepare it or when to eat.
- Automatic Conversion
Make a good use of the automation attached to your senses. Convert all thoughts to prayer points. That settles the problem of thoughtful distractions during prayers.
Don’t analyze the thoughts else you get distracted. Once it drops into your heart, then convert it to a good prayer point.
- Close your eyes
It is not compulsory, but it works very well for me. I don’t see the lizard chasing after the grasshopper- an interesting distraction!
- Comfortable Environment
Prepare a comfortable environment for yourself. For instance, if you are not adaptable to heat and you go to the mountain in the afternoon to pray, then the harsh heat would distract your prayers.
- Light your Focus Candle
If you are not focused, then you will sleep off during prayers. You can avoid such distraction by setting your heart towards the goals you intend to achieve by speaking to the Lord.
- Open your inner Ear
Prayer is all about communication to the LORD. Thus, you are the encoder and God is the decoder. You will be distracted by your prayers if you don’t listen to the feedback from the LORD.
- Pray with Emotion
Feel free to express yourself before the Lord. The Lord is your Creator, He understands you very well. So, don’t be distracted by the way you intend to present your case before the Lord.
- Pray in Spirit and Truth
You won’t get distracted by any physical distraction if your spirit clings to the Spirit of God. Jesus says: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (not speaking in false tongues o!)
- Rebuke the Voice of the Devil
It is the work of the devil to distract Christians during prayers by saying “Are you sure God will hear you” whenever you hear such voice of distraction in your heart, rebuke it with the mighty name of Jesus and make your faith firm in the Lord.
