Cultivating a Habit of Prayer

"Prayer is a surge of the heart" - St. Thérèse of Lisieux

I've been thinking a lot about prayer this month.

My own journey of healing began in earnest after the loss of our identical twins in 2011. As is often the case when these kinds of life-changing events happen, I came out on the other side as a changed person and discovered that this tragedy was actually a catalyst for my own growth and healing - from loss and from other wounds as well. I was (and am) on a mission to discover the ways that God wanted to use that painful experience for my good, and to learn new and more virtuous ways of relating to Him, to others, and to myself.

Prayer is an area in which I'm hoping to grow.

I go through some seasons of having what I'd call a "good" prayer habit and others where prayer feels like hard work. In the busy-ness of day-to-day life, prayer sometimes gets put on the back burner, or someone needs me and interrupts my "prayer time."

My tendency is to feel ashamed when things don't go the "right" way - or the way I'd hoped they would - and I'm coming to realize that my prayer life is no exception to this pervasive emotion of shame for me.

And in my shame I tend to withdraw and shut down, pulling away even more from the One in whom I should be abiding.

Can you relate?

But God doesn't need perfection from us. He wants a relationship with us.

So this month, I'm trying to unpack my own thoughts around my prayer habits and to learn better ways to "pray without ceasing." (1 Thess. 5:17)

And I'm learning that won't necessarily look the way I think prayer "should."

"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." The Catechism quotes St. John Damascene here (CCC 2559) as its opening to the discussion of Christian prayer, and I see in there the same principle that is in the very name I've chosen for my ministry.

Sursum Corda - Lift up your hearts!

I've been pondering that while a habit of a morning prayer time or a nightly examen is a good way to begin and end my day, getting "derailed" by something like a sickness in my family does not mean that I've "blown it" with God and with prayer for that day.

Rather, I can pray without ceasing by repeatedly lifting my heart to the Lord, raising my mind to Him - in awareness of my need for Him, in thanksgiving for the good things I have, in praise for His goodness and love - over and over throughout the day.

And I know that His mercies are new every morning, so that I can always begin anew the next day.

What are your thoughts about your own habit of prayer? What do you like about it and what do you wish were different?

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Come and join my VIP Community to get this month's journaling prompts on prayer and join us to discuss it. We'll also have a (He)artwork Workshop on our prayer goals and I'll offer group coaching on the last day of month! You'll also get access to all the past months' journaling prompts, workshop replays, and more!