(Un)healthy habits in prayer

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(Un)healthy habits of prayer.

Like many, I maintain a prayer journal.

I do it to maintain a discipline in my prayer life, and especially with respect to ensuring a God-sized horizon and a breadth in my prayer life.

My prayer diary is a soft file in table format. At the top is a Bible verse or two and a schedule that on certain days I pray for certain people and works of God. I have columns from left to right for ‘near and dear’; my work; God’s kingdom; myself and ‘other’. On a daily basis I populate this table.

So far so good. A prayer diary is a healthy prayer habit and I commend it to others.

However, I notice the ease with which an unhealthy habit creeps in. I am diligent to populate the table daily. My unhealthy tendency is to act as through the mere writing of the prayer list is the same as praying.

Compare my unhealthy habit with the following:

·      Col 4:2:  Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.

·      Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills.

·      1 Thess 5:17: Pray always

And compare with the master’s example:

·      Mark 1:35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.

·      Mark 14:32-38 ³² They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ ³³ He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. ³⁴ And he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.’ ³⁵ And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. ³⁶ He said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’ ³⁷ He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? ³⁸ Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’

Writing a shopping list is not the same as buying the items. Likewise with a daily work plan or even new year resolutions.

Writing a prayer is not the same as praying.