Too Busy Not to Pray
“I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” ~Martin Luther
I’ve been in one of those hectic seasons of life. Overwhelmed with the busyness of moving and being without stable lodgings for six weeks, I grew weary. My life became a disorganized mess. As I focused on my to-do lists rather than seeking the presence of God, things only grew worse.
I snapped at my family. I missed paying bills on time, which was costly. In short, I lost myself because it had been too long since I’d slowed down to spend time in solitude and stillness.
Too soon, a gulf grew between God and me because I wasn’t nurturing our relationship. My hurried prayers bounced off the ceiling and fell onto my lap. I wasn’t receiving from Him because I didn’t slow down long enough to receive.
We have to be still to feel His presence, to hear His voice. We find our way to our own souls in stillness. Our clearest thinking happens in solitude with God. I got lost because I didn’t close the door on the distractions.
I’ve been around long enough to know that the busier I am, the more I need to take time out to “be still and know” Psalms 46:10. And as Martin Luther noted above, as our busyness grows, so grows our need for prayer. And yet, I’d allowed my circumstances to squeeze out my quiet time.
It was enough to send me in search of a book I read several years ago: Too Busy Not to Pray. Written by Pastor Bill Hybels, the book has stood as a classic on prayer. It changed my prayer life then and led me to the practice of written prayer.
Another read of the book was in order. Through this scripturally-based guidebook, I was reminded to pray regularly, pray privately, pray sincerely, and pray specifically. Besides showing us how to pray, Hybels helps readers understand the significance of prayer in a Christian’s life. If you’ve ever wondered why some prayers go unanswered, two chapters deal specifically with this topic.
Needless to say, my relationship with God was restored as soon as I devoted the time to sit in His presence. To be still. And quiet. That is the nature of God. He never leaves or forsakes us. Not even when we forget how to pray.
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him” Psalms 62:5-7.(ESV)
A gulf grew between God and me because I wasn’t nurturing our relationship. My hurried prayers bounced off the ceiling and fell onto my lap. I wasn’t receiving from Him because I didn’t slow down long enough to receive. Share on XHow do you slow down and find stillness when life gets frenzied? Do you have a book or an activity to recommend?
So true. It’s easy to fall out of the routine of quiet listening and with that our relationship with God suffers. I’m struggling with this right now so appreciate this reminder.
Great post, so true. Always loved that Luther quote. Addition prayer books like those by EM Bounds and Dick Eastman have been instrumental in my prayer life. Also recently went through one by DA Carson who gleans insights from the apostle Paul’s prayers. Eye opening what it really looks like to pray inline with God’s will and according to Jesus’ name. He says at one point, “pray until you pray.” Such a great reminder that often we don’t pray long enough to really get our hearts oriented to God like we should.
Pray until you pray. Wonderful. Takes time to settle and align the heart and mind
Beautifully written post. Your statement, “Too soon, a gulf grew between God and me because I wasn’t nurturing our relationship,” is so true. True for marriage as well. God desires we spend time with Him, and our spouse needs quality time with us too. Family, children, and friends are no different. Blessings!
Yep. And when we’re in the right place with our relationship with God, it’s easier to be in the right place with our loved ones. Thanks, Luanne!
I’ve found that if I don’t take time to meditate on God’s Word or look for deeper application in my study time, I’m missing something vital to everyday life. I need that. I need Him. Thank you for your post!
Yes. And sometimes the deeper application for me comes from others: friends, sermons, podcasts, etc. as well as from what I read. That’s why it’s important to listen during our quiet time, I think. Sometimes, simply listening for God during my quiet time is the best form of prayer.
Thanks for the reminder to be still with the Lord. I too can get caught up in being busy and forget that one of the ten commandments is to rest. God Himself rested after creating the universe as an example to us. Fortunately, I recently hurt my foot which is forcing me to slow down. God does what it takes to get my attention. He is always worth the time.
Joanna,
Rest is a beautiful word. It’s been hard from me though because I’ve lived by the mantra “Don’t just sit there, do something!” But there is definitely a need and a necessity for it. Thank you for pointing out that even God rested.
Thank you for sharing an all-too-familiar problem, apparently for many of us, with the agreement of the comments above mine. I’m so thankful of your reminder that though we drift away, He never leaves us, yet I know He is longing for us to return. My life gets in a “funk” also when I don’t prioritize my time with Him, and you’d think I would remember that and never let it happen again. But, alas, I do occasionally, and I’m so glad when I shake myself back into alignment with my heavenly Father. Thanks for the important words during this busy season of the year!
It’s nice to hear that others get off track too with this very important part of our spiritual life. My days, my life, my everything is always better when I start it by spending time with God.
Candyce, I’ve been there too. I wrote my book “Give Yourself a Break” to capture the lessons the Lord has taught me through the years. Even though I wrote it, I still refer back to it because some lessons I need to be reminded of over again.
I get that. God teaches me through my own writing. I’d like to take a look at your book.
It happens so easily doesn’t it Ms. Candyce? Our lives get so busy and hectic that we fail to take care of ourselves. When our “tanks start moving toward empty”, it manifests itself in lots of ways. I become stressed, which translates to short-tempered, irritable (aka “grumpy pants”), then comes my Silent Period, then come the grenades, when I explode all over everyone and everything. Later, my physical body begins attacking me (tired, depressed, sick). Normally, with the Holy Spirit’s help, I can catch myself and realize I am making everything else a priority except my own soul care. That’s when I know it’s time to get away so that just me and God can spend the time I need to be re-energized. We can’t neglect our “God time” as it is central to who we are.
Your description of the process nails it, JD. Running on empty is impossible, and we all suffer when we try to. I’m going to try to keep filling my tank with a fresh dose of the Holy Spirit every morning.
I have been there, too, my friend. Sometimes life just overwhelms us. I am thankful that God is faithful. As soon as you recognized you had distanced yourself from Him, there He was, just waiting to get your attention and answer your call for help. He is steadfast, even as we waver or drift away. He is our anchor. Thank you for your courage in sharing this message.
Yes, our everlasting God is always there, waiting for us.