One of our members here, Farseer has a great quote as a signature that states "Prayer is not an optional activity". Some time ago, I asked my husband the same question and his reply was "You make it part of your life"
and is so true. When I feel down, very stressed out and I do not feel like praying, I try my best to get on my knees and stay there until I get the desire to pray and it always comes.
If I am not in the right frame of mind to pray, I try to at least find a quiet place to think and examine myself. I find the longer I think about why I don't want to pray, the easier it is to come to grips with it and realize I should anyway. It's kind of like taking a good look at myself and being able to see how foolish I am at the moment.
There's really no excuse for not praying.
And I don't see prayer as an exclusive "on your knees" activity. I pray while I am driving to work. I pray sometimes while I am at work doing other things. It's very different and interesting to pray without using spoken language -- instead of speaking to God and telling Him I am thankful for someone or something, to picture that in my mind and strongly FEEL thankful to God. That method takes no words.
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When you don't feel like praying what do you do? Sometimes I am really mad or just concentrating on something and can't seem to find myself praying about anything. Looking for some ideas thanks. - Josh |
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For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing. For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness. - Moro. 7:6-7 |
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For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads. - D&C 25:12 |
When I find that I am having difficulty saying a prayer in the "Formal" sense of the word, I simply start thinking it through, and after a few minutes of reflection I find myself talking to Our Heavenly Father almost automatically. Or Think of prayer as a conversation with God. We can just talk to him as we would a friend.
I personally believe that reflection on an issue is a form of prayer, so long as you remember to say in tune with the Holy Ghost.
Prayer is the softener of the heart. Unfortunately when my heart is hard, the desire to pray is not always there.
That is why I think we have been commanded to pray day and night, not just when the spirit moves us. When it comes to prayer routine is sometimes a good thing. And sometimes we start a prayer a little less then ready to receive spiritual guidance from the spirit. As we talk to our Father, he often softens that hard parts of our heart so that we can communicate on a higher level.
"Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul. Think of it: the absolute Supreme Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage, encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with Him as our Father."
Ref. (Richard G. Scott, "Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer," Ensign, May 2007, 8)
"It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our solicitation can be brief or can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created numberless cosmos and populated them with worlds, yet you and I can talk with Him personally, and He will ever answer."
Ref. (Richard G. Scott, "Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer," Ensign, May 2007, 8)