The Secret of finding time to pray at Christmas

One of the most common obstacles to prayer is fitting it into our busy lives. To be completely honest, we are ALL busy, especially this time of year and for me finding time to pray at Christmas is an overwhelming challenge. Whether it be studying or working, shopping or social events, we have commitments and activities to fill our days. We get into rhythms and tend not to set aside time to pray. And when we pray, we have a hard time focusing on prayer rather than our to-do lists. I suggest we stop feeling guilty about not praying. Feeling guilty leads us to feelings of unworthiness, and we should never feel unworthy to pray. Let’s look at ways we can make prayer a habit daily.

First things first.

I can’t tell you how many times I have tried to set aside time to pray, but I always fail. Lent and Advent devotions become enthusiastic spikes in my prayer life that quickly get forgotten and replaced by other, more pressing tasks! My first suggestion to anyone struggling to find time to pray is not to schedule it!

Let me explain.

If we make praying a stressful thing we all feel we MUST do, we miss the point. Instead, try saying short prayers throughout the day at specific moments. These are prayer habits.

Here are some examples:

  • Praying when you wake up
  • Praying in the shower
  • Praying while you brush
  • your teeth
  • Praying before meals
  • Praying in the car
  • Praying before bed

The list could go on. The point is to get over your stress about finding time to pray, choosing specific moments throughout the day to say short prayers, and making these moments habits.

When is the best time to pray?

The best time to pray is going to vary for everyone. Suppose you are a morning person or an early bird. Set aside some time in the morning. Suppose you stay up late in the evening and are a night owl. Set aside some time to pray at night. Start experimenting with various times throughout the day and stick with what works best.

For many devout religious monks and nuns, scheduled times of day to pray throughout the day and night are essentials. Muslims have prescribed times of day to pray as well. These scheduled prayer times are great examples for the rest of us to make prayer an integrated part of our daily lives.

Don’t forget to pray

Consider setting some reminders to pray:

  • Set alerts in your calendar
  • Set the alarm on your phone
  • Connect it with other events (before bed, after breakfast, at the beginning of lunch break, etc.)
  • Place prayer books and devotionals in places where you will have the opportunity to pray
  • Ask someone to remind you to pray
  • Plan a prayer date!

Start small

We tend to think big with something so important as prayer. To make something a habit, we must start small and build upon what we have begun. Don’t try to adopt multiple practices all at once. Focus on one pattern and develop it fully before branching out to another. Over time, you will develop the prayer lifestyle you want to create.

PRAYER

Lord, we worship you at Christmas time. You are our wonderful Father and Prince of Peace. We choose to put you at the centre of our busy lives as we celebrate your birth. Please, Father, keep us from distractions and help us invite You into all our family activities. Teach us to pray and help us to glorify and worship you in all we do. Give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation that we might know you better (Ephesians 1:17).

Written by Kirsten Davidson, Fundraiser for Swindon Youth for Christ