In this season of Lent, we prepare ourselves for the coming of Easter, but with how hectic things have been in the last several weeks, it has been difficult to focus our attention and time on God. Ash Wednesday seems like a distant memory. Now, Easter is right around the corner. There were many times during this Lent that I forgot it was even Lent. Life took a turn when the pandemic struck. However, I have made a conscious effort to have an active prayer life. Although it can be difficult to sit down and pray, it is especially necessary. Thankfully, I have found ways to make it a lot easier.
- Establish a routine.
Oftentimes, life can seem so stressful, busy, or overwhelming that we don’t find the time to pray. Most of the things we do on a daily basis are simply a routine. 40% of your everyday activities are habits. If you can establish specific times and places to pray, it will work its way into your daily life. You can even dedicate a particular place in your house or room to prayer!
- Recognize the different forms of prayer.
Prayer should never feel like a chore. It does not have to be kneeling on your floor praying the rosary. Prayer can be listening to music and thinking about how it connects to God. It doesn’t even have to be Christian music. It can also be listening to a podcast, watching a video, looking up Bible verses, and so much more. There are thousands of ways to pray, and you don’t need to limit yourself to just one.
- Try the 60-second rule.
I have found this trick to be especially helpful in my daily life. Randomly throughout the day, I will think about praying but my inclination is to “do it later.” Recently, I’ve started asking myself, “Do I have 60 seconds to spare?” More often than not, the answer is yes. I’ll say a prayer and while it may be short, it’s still a prayer. Also, if I want to pray for more than 60 seconds, I do. This rule helps me to stop pushing prayer to the side and communicate with God throughout my day.
- Have physical reminders.
People might not pray simply because they don’t think or remember to do so. A great way to fix this issue is with physical reminders. They can be a great tool for anything, including prayer. Put a physical reminder of God in a place you often look. For example, your lock screen can be a Bible verse or your wall can have a cross on it. Seeing these physical reminders will make you more conscious of praying throughout your day. Hopefully, it will then be easier for you.
I hope that at least one of these tips was helpful for someone. Remember, you have six days off for a break. Take some time to remember why. God bless.
Written By: Rachael Switliski ’20
oharaliontales.com 