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As our lives seem to get busier, with constant distractions around us, it's hard to stay focused on anything. And if the kids have been driving us a little crazy and we're exhausted at the end of a long day, we can easily zone out while praying.
Yet, our prayers are a great way of not only expressing our concerns and gratitude to our Heavenly Father, but allowing us to take stock of our lives. So, it's important we pray well.
One way to do this is to really consider each and every word. Again, not easy if we're suddenly anxious about whether we've locked the doors or turned off the oven. But, there is an effective way to pray that I've been using recently, and it might help you, too.
One of the issues about saying prayers we've said for years is they become a little rote. Think of all the times you've said the Lord's Prayer without really considering each word. It's a prayer we've said so many times it can become a little meaningless if we're not focused. But, these common prayers are key to my strategy...
Every time I start to pray I begin with an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be. Yet, I won't continue with the rest of my prayers until I've really considered the words of these familiar ones. If I find that I'm a little distracted, I'll say the three prayers again, and maybe even again if my head is really full of the day's activities.
Eventually, when I begin to understand and feel each word, I'll move on to the rest of my prayers. It not only helps me feel more connected to God, or the myriad of saints I'm calling on, it helps me feel peaceful.
At the end of my prayers I feel satisfied. I feel ready for a good night's sleep, or to start the day with a little more meaning. If you think this technique might help you, give it a try. And remember, even if our initial prayers are a little distracted, they never fall on deaf ears.
