By: Pastor Jarren Rogers

“I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” – Martin Luther

We are all busy.

There is always something that needs to be done or somewhere that we must go.

Because of the “go-go-go” nature of our lives, sometimes prayer gets lost in the mess. Many times, our spiritual life is neglected because the rest of our life is so hectic.

Can I provide you with a challenge? This challenge will benefit not only your spiritual life but I think you will also see results in your everyday circumstances.

Here it is:

The busier you are, the more time you must spend in prayer.

I could practically hear the collective gasp of readers as I finished typing that last sentence.

It seems like an impossible task, right? It seems almost oxymoronic. If I’m so busy, how could I possible pray more?

Look at Jesus. If anyone two thousand years ago was busy it was this guy. He was healing people, preaching, feeding multitudes, discipling his followers, and saving souls. The man didn’t have time. Yet He prayed A LOT:

“At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place” (Luke 4:42).

“After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone” (Matthew 14:23).

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God” (Luke 6:12).

“Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

Will you withdraw often to pray?

When life is piling up and your calendar is filled, will you pray more?

Making prayer a habit takes time and practice. Try waking up just five minutes earlier and spend that time in prayer to God. Then bump it up to ten minutes the next week. Then fifteen, and so on.

Spending your first waking moments with God makes it easier to live by the Spirit throughout the rest of your day.

Will you spend more time in prayer the busier you are?

Parents: If you aren’t already, I encourage you to begin praying with your children every morning and night. Praying with and for your children is one of the best things that you can do for them.