If you’re reading this blog, you are probably just like me.
When my children were younger, I asked God how in the world can I find time to pray? How can a mom really find the time to sit down and study the bible or find a good half hour of spiritual reading?
Aren’t priests and nuns the only ones whose lives are suited to this type of activity? There is a great temptation for those of us in this state of life to give up on it altogether, admitting defeat at having a meaningful prayer life.
Fortunately, not only is that not true, but with a little help, anyone (even moms!) can have an extraordinary prayer life. The key to success is to change the way we approach it.
One of my all-time favorite books is Holiness for Housewives and Other Working Women by Hubert van Zeller.
The audience for the book is housewives, but the advice he gives can be directed to anyone looking to improve their prayer life. Though it was published in 1951, the advice he gives is still relevant today, and maybe applies even more to this distracted modern world.
As mothers, we may tend to think our calling in life prohibits us from finding adequate time to have a meaningful prayer life. The kids may have school, practice, play dates, and homework. The house is overrun with laundry and dishes.
The modern family lives a fast-paced lifestyle, one that doesn’t seem to be conducive to solitude and contemplation.
But this way of life should not be looked at as an obstacle to a fruitful prayer life. Instead, we must view it as the prayer itself.
What is more beautiful to God than to see a woman in service to her family, displaying acts of self-sacrifice and patience? Her life can be seen as one long prayer, though not the typical kind we think of.
Instead of viewing the distractions as prohibitive, here are 7 ways to turn the life of a wife and mother into a dedication to God.
1. Offer Up Your Sacrifices
As the kids are running around screaming and dinner is boiling over, offer the chaos of the moment up to God.
Turn it over to Him and ask that He accept these sacrifices as a token of your love for Him and as an atonement for yours or your family’s sins. Instead of trying to avoid the inevitable suffering of these moments, turn them into Glory for God.
You might not have time to sit down and pray a rosary amid the chaos, but you can say a small prayer to this effect. “God, thank you for the opportunity to serve you in this family. I offer up all moments of my day, but particularly these moments that help me to grow as a Christian.”
2. Break Up Your Prayers Into Manageable Time Periods
If you cannot find a half hour uninterrupted, take 5 minutes at a time to say a small prayer.
Before starting the wash, say an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be. After a meal, say a prayer of gratitude for what you have been given. You could even start daily tasks with a dedication to the Lord.
Instead of dreading an upcoming task, make it into a service to God. Offer it up and ask Him to direct your efforts into what is pleasing to Him. If your schedule is so full and your mind is too distracted, you could try setting a timer and forcing yourself to stop at a certain time to say a small prayer of thanksgiving or offer up your requests.
3. Look For Extraordinary Blessings in Ordinary Life
We don’t often think about it, but the reality is that most people in the world would love to have our life.
Even if we don’t feel particularly blessed on certain days, try to remember that all good things come from God. If the children are being disruptive, give thanks for the fullness of your home. After you are done cleaning the house, thank the Lord for the home you live in and the opportunity to keep it clean.
Acknowledge that everything you have has been given by the Almighty and we are just stewards of His blessings. Make a habit of saying a prayer of thanksgiving after every task, even if it is just one line to say thanks.
4. Be Spontaneous With Your Prayers
Prayer doesn’t have to be done at any regular interval or time period.
If you are open to it, there will be many opportunities throughout the day to speak to God. Morning and evening prayers can be very meaningful and help us to start or end our day, but there are boundless opportunities for prayers throughout the day too.
Perhaps you are in the grocery store and see a young mother struggling with a baby. (Or perhaps you are the young mother!) Ask the Lord to bless this woman’s life and help her through whatever difficulties she may face. Offer a helping hand, if you can.
Or maybe you are at your child’s soccer game and see another child looking dejected on the sidelines because they haven’t been put in the game yet. Take this opportunity to say a small prayer for them, or even try to connect with them through a smile.
You never know what someone else may be feeling and those small acts of kindness may make a huge difference in their life.
5. Keep a Prayer Journal
I love to write and this informal prayer style is more conducive to the way my brain thinks.
I’m not very good at trying to remember each bullet point of my prayers (Did I thank God enough times for my family? Have I confessed every sin committed today?
My list of people who need prayers is getting extensive and I think I missed a few.) Writing in a journal feels more like a conversation with Jesus right next to me. I feel like I am talking to a friend and that makes me feel closer to Him.
I won’t list everything right or wrong I did that day or everyone who needs prayers, rather acknowledge that He knows all these things and I am grateful He is taking care of it and helping all of us through life. I can acknowledge my weakness in this area but still know He knows what’s in my heart.
6. Christian Planners
If I feel like I have a lot on my mind spiritually, I’ll turn towards either a Christian Faith Planner My Personal Prayer Map Tracker.
The Christian Faith Planner is a planner, bible journal, and prayer journal in one. These types of planners are wonderful for combining all of your thoughts, prayer requests, bible study notes, and spiritual goals. If pressed for time, I will write in it periodically throughout the day instead of all at once.
There’s no reason to think your spiritual thoughts need to be attended to at once. Perhaps setting up regular times during the day to write in it, such as first thing in the morning, after a household chore, during kids’ naptimes, or at night before bed, helps to focus on different areas of spiritual growth throughout the day.
My Personal Prayer Map Tracker is great for keeping track of your blessings and requests.
It’s a wonderful feeling to write out a prayer request and go back months later and see that it has been answered. Granted, not all prayer requests are answered by God the way we want, but I can always see some kind of progress in the areas I’ve prayed about. It’s always great to give Him praise after seeing those prayers answered!
7. Prayer Books
While all of these methods above may help me to develop a better prayer life, there are moments when my brain is too weary to act or think this way.
Sometimes the best method of prayer on those days is to read the prayers in my prayer books. My personal favorite is my Marian Prayer Book.
I often discover something in those prayers that helps to remind me of the things I wanted to say and forgot. There is nothing wrong with needing assistance in times of spiritual drought.
I also find as I’m reading these prayers that it wakes up my brain and helps me to focus better on what I wanted to say. If I’m feeling inspired, I will continue to talk to Jesus after those prayers are said, even if I am continuing on to other tasks.
Summary
There is no right or wrong way to pray.
Some days the words may flow easier than others. Some days I go to bed and realize I have hardly said one prayer that day. I’ll humbly ask God to give me another chance tomorrow and start with a new resolve. The next day I’ll try to remember these methods and make a new effort.
If you are struggling to grow in this faith journey, try one of the methods outlined above.
- Offer Up Your Sacrifices
- Break Up Your Prayers Into Manageable Time Periods
- Look For Extraordinary Blessings in Ordinary Life
- Be Spontaneous With Your Prayers
- Keep a Prayer Journal
- Christian Planners
- Prayer Books
Formal prayers are not always necessary to give praise to God. Matter of fact, those small moments of reflection are better reminders of His love than mindlessly trying to think of things to say while conducting your normal prayers.
I like to think the Lord prefers spontaneous outbursts of love over dutiful prayers! Because prayer, after all, is nothing more than meeting God on His terms.
Add comment