Embracing The Battle Of Prayer

When life throws us a curveball, all we can think to do is pray. We face difficult break ups, high-stakes tests, and medical emergencies, and our hearts naturally cry out to God. But when life is good or even just mediocre, many of us think we don’t have the time or ability to properly pray.

The fourth part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is dedicated entirely to teachings on prayer, and “Article Two: The Battle of Prayer” is particularly relevant to each and every one of us. It develops the concept of the Holy Spirit’s involvement and helps us comprehend our relationship with the Trinity through prayer. “Those who seek God by prayer are quickly discouraged because they do not know that prayer comes also from the Holy Spirit and not from themselves alone” (CCC 2726). Without God we are incapable of anything, so why should we expect prayer to be any different? We are, indeed, quickly discouraged.

Lack of time, lack of energy, and lack of faith cause us to brush aside this aspect of Christian life. This is the manifestation of several difficulties in prayer. I always struggle with distractions when I pray, which draws attention to the conflict of two masters noted in Matthew 6:24. Many distractions come from external sources, but most are internal. My mind turns to other concerns and things I feel the need to address, and though I usually return to God, I know most of my time praying is spent thinking about irrelevant and unimportant topics. The difficulty is not recognizing I need to sort out my priorities but actually bringing about conversion of the heart and changing those priorities. This conflict of masters and priorities also brings to mind the ever-present rationalization that we don’t have the time to pray. But as St. John Chrysostom said, “It is possible to offer fervent prayer even while walking in public or strolling alone, or seated in your shop,…while buying or selling,…or even while cooking” (CCC 2743). Given this comprehensive list and the truth of the statement, none of us can justify not praying.

Incorporating prayer into our daily lives can be a true test of strength and self-discipline. We must not cede to the temptations to think of other things, and seeking out these distractions with the intention of eliminating them only magnifies the problem. If we return to our hearts and invite the Holy Spirit to show us the way, we can grow closer to God and deepen our faith.