“I don’t have time to pray. I’m too busy.” This is the usual excuse I use time and again to rationalize the lull periods in my prayer life. And then I continue to justify and rationalize this statement by listing all the things I have to do. I convince myself that Jesus is demanding too much of me and my time. Quite frankly, however, this is a lie. Yes, Jesus wants all of us, but He doesn’t demand that we spend our entire day in silent prayer. St. Paul says, “Do everything for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). This verse helps to keep me focused as I teach, grade, study, and perform my other daily responsibilities, especially during stressful times of the day. Making these tasks part of my prayer life and offering it up for the glory of God grounds everything I do in a way that always points back to Him.
This is not to say that we should neglect that silent prayer time. Not at all! We still need time to unplug and focus our minds and hearts solely on Jesus. This past Lent, I opted for silence during my drive to and from work. This silence allowed time to cultivate a more intentional prayer life. It was a 20 minute ride to work, so I prayed the Rosary in the morning, and on the way home I prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Forming these habits throughout Lent allowed me to put aside the idea that I was “too busy” for Jesus. One other way I put this idea aside is by intentionally praying with the daily Face of Prayer text message. Each day, the text comes with a specific intention and the start of a Hail Mary. It’s a great reminder to pray and only takes about 30 seconds! There’s really no excuse to not pause and give that time to God. He wants to hear from us, even if it’s only for 30 seconds.
Text PRAY to 55778 to receive the daily prayer.
By: Emma Ryder
Emma Ryder will be joining the Diocese this summer as Coordinator of The Face of Prayer
