Every morning I’ve made it a habit to walk 10k steps.

Which leaves about an hour and a half of thinking, praying, listening to a podcast, or (admittedly) scrolling.

But the more I walk, the more time I desire to pray and talk with the Lord.

Because there’s nothing more revitalizing than a fresh breeze, nature, and soaking in our Heavenly Fathers presence.

But I would be lying if I said my prayers haven’t bled accidently into a to do list, or wish lists, or far off imaginations.

In fact, the more time I lend to prayer, the more I realize how often I get “off track”.

Time I had intended to talk with the Lord, on more fingers than I have available, have turned into my mind running away from me.

And I know I’m not the only one.

It’s no secret that as a society, our attention spans have dropped drastically.

Leaving a dopamine obsessed, and fast reward driven people.

We have everything at our fingertips, the click of a button, fast solutions a phone call away.

Long form practices, habit building, and self-control have increasingly diminished and grow harder to combat as we try and swim upstream the tide of distractions.

Our focus flickers, and with it we become enamored and “satisfied” by the cares and “riches” of this world.

Our hearts can grow cold to the wonder of God because we are so focused on everything but Him.

It’s no wonder that regular prayer feels like a battle of willpower instead of an intimate conversation.

Praying is a releasing of control, a slowing down and resting in the Lord’s truth and love.
Prayer is one of the ways we as believers get to know our heavenly father.

So, if I was the enemy, I would try and steal your focus. Your attention.

Because where our attention lies is a good indicator of where our hearts are at.

Many Christians are finding that they are continually staying stuck, frustrated, and stagnant in their walk with Christ.

And it’s no wonder, when we are constantly led astray by our own hearts and the worlds promise to fill in the gaps.

Where the world (influenced by the kingdom of darkness) lures you into fast (and cheap) rewards, “success”, striving, burn out, overthinking, fear, and brain fog.

The Lord invites us into “…perfect peace-” for those “- whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

So then, as Christians we know that if we want to grow in our faith, become more like Christ, and heal…we must pursue Him and meditate on His word.

So when you endeavor this, and find you’re struggle to wrangle in your thoughts, what is your immediate reaction?

Is it shame? Guilt? Self-accusation? If it’s any of those, accompanied by the “just try harder” mantra. Then you’re operating in works instead of grace.

When our minds wander during prayer, instead of beating ourselves up over it and striving and endeavoring to be perfect. Pause.

We need to stop and take those thoughts and imaginations captive. Analyzing them against the word of Christ.

Is it from God’s kingdom, or Satan’s? Is it from fear? Envy? Bitterness? Stress? Does it reveal the mediation of your heart and where your treasure lies?

These things, instead of being pushed down or cast aside and ignored, can be fuel.

Fuel to submitting our hearts more and more to Christ and allowing Him to prune and shape us to look more like Him.

Constantly worried about finances? What a perfect opportunity to present it to the Lord.

Thinking about that ever-growing wish list? What a grace filled moment to repent during prayer and choosing gratitude and thanking the Lord for what He has given you.

Can’t stop thinking about that one person’s tone? Or choice of words? What a perfect time to forgive them.

Instead of walking in guilt and shame and pushing away a wandering mind, we can instead submit each wandering footstep to Christ.

We can ask Him to help us keep our minds on Him. To lead our prayers and quiet time.

So today I encourage you to look at prayer differently.

Take those wandering thoughts and lay them right at the Lord’s feet.

Talk to Him about them, ask Him to reveal their nature.

May we bring every thought to the Lord, trusting that He will reveal and convict and help us to submit them to Christ daily by grace through faith.