For most of us, prayer is an absolute slog. It’s tough to do consistently. We get distracted. We’re not sure what to say. We wonder if we’re even being heard. We don’t make the time for it as we should. I struggle to enjoy my prayer life, and I founded a ministry on prayer!
Reeves’ book is so helpful though because it doesn’t focus on tips and tricks to have a better prayer life, helpful as those may be. Rather, the book focuses on relating “to the Father as a Father”—the Father who delights to hear from us distracted, wandering sinners. Reeves dives into the relationship you already have with God, and how you can enjoy that more in prayer. The book is short, too, which is helpful. I should really stop calling it a book as it’s more of a pamphlet. It will take you all of 20 minutes to read.
Let me bless you with an excerpt of Enjoy Your Prayer Life, which focused on praying at all times:
If prayer is communion with God, then it can take many forms. We have different sorts of conversations with our friends and families—from texts and emails to rambling chats late into the evening. Similarly, we don’t need to try to “fit” God into each day, that is to see our prayer life as something different from the rest of life. In fact, the danger arises precisely when you do think your prayer life is something separate. No, for the Son everything flows from his communion with his Father, and so it should become for us. When you know that each day is already all God’s and that we have fellowship with him all the time, then prayer suffuses the whole day more naturally.
So, beloved—did you miss your “quiet time” today? No worries, that’s not the only time you’re allowed to speak to God. Did you pray for only a minute or so today? That’s okay, He loved that minute with you. Did you fall asleep as you prayed? Stop stressing over it, for God looks at you with the affection of a parent who had a child fall asleep in their lap.
And so, I want to encourage you to enjoy the Father as you pray, and stop worrying about the prayer itself. Just enjoy God. He did not save you so you’d walk on eggshells around him, or pray on eggshells for that matter!
Let me wrap this up with a final exhortation. Reeves peeks into our motives as to why we don’t pray. “Might it be that, deep down, you struggle to believe this truly is the Lord’s world? Prayerlessness often indicates that mindset.”
This is our Father’s world, as the hymn reminds us. Though the wrong seems oft’ so strong, He is the ruler yet. Our Father who tells us to approach Him in prayer has both unlimited patience and unlimited power. I’m thankful for Reeves’s exhortations to approach this good Father in joyful, confident prayer.
Prayer Requests:
- Thank God for the privilege of approaching Him in prayer.
- Thank God that he hears imperfect prayers.
- Ask God for closer fellowship with him in prayer.
