This year I have committed to really focusing on my prayer life, so I thought I would give everyone an update on how it is going.

I had been doing really well with my prayer routine until the last couple of weeks.  I hate calling it a routine, but for me it has to become a routine, otherwise with my crazy schedule between, family, work, school and working out, it gets lost in the shuffle.  As I have said in an earlier post I have to get up at 5 AM if there is any hope of me finding peace and quiet.  The kids generally get up between 6:30 and 7.  Cami and I have begun P90X again and we try to get started around 6 AM.  So if I want some really focused prayer time, without diminishing my family time I have to do it early.

Couple of things I am finding…

1. I have to keep it fresh; if I don’t it can become monotonous, especially at 5 AM.  I try to pray through scripture, pray for specific groups of people and change it up on a daily basis.  I have also found I focus much better if I am moving, so I like to walk while I pray, even if it is pacing back in forth in the office, it seems to help me focus.
2. I can’t do all the talking.  Prayer is a conversation with God not a monologue.  If I do not leave room for Him to speak I will not hear him.  Seems obvious, but too often we are scared by the silence. It is hard but I am learning to be still and listen through scripture and meditation.

The holidays make things difficult because they get me out of my routine.  So now, I need to focus and be intentional about getting back into my routine.  There is a reason it is called a “spiritual discipline.”

What is something you do to really help your focus in prayer?