Prayer, even when we don't feel it

I want to share a perspective on the subject of prayer. Prayer is what we call a communication between God and man, but it's so much more than that. Prayer is what connects the physical world and the spiritual world, our bridge between earth and the Kingdom of Heaven. It is so important because it is the main way we can communicate with God, the very same God who died on the cross for us.

In prayer we do a lot of things: bring forth our needs, praise & worship, ask for help or intercession, thanksgiving, adoration, or simply express love. In a sincere prayer, the idea is basicaly to lift up what is on our hearts (the things I just mentioned) and place them humbly at God's feet. This is motivated by love but is also driven by a certain degree of faith. It takes faith to pray, I mean really pray, to actually place your heart in God's hands and trust that He's listening.

Why Don't we feel that connection sometimes?

Well, faith is delicate, some people have a harder time with it than others. When they don't have strong convictions, don't understand who God or what God really is, or don't think He's listening, they tend to get discouraged.

Others take a more assertive attitude on prayer. For example: "God knows me, I don't need to pray" "Hi God. -okay I prayed" or "I'll pray more on Sunday", and behaviors like praying the "Glory Be" quickly right before bed, and rushing through the Lord's Prayer without thinking about it, and so on. These people have a shallow and pretty selfish view of prayer because its all about them and not about God. In that case, its no wonder when we don't feel a connection because we are not really trying to make one. (At least there is some effort there anyways).

And sometimes, when we are faithful and intently trying to talk to God, we just don't get the same confidence or emotions as usual. At times we just don't feel it, and can't understand why. Usually its just a phase (I've been through plenty of them myself.)

What do you do when you don't feel connected to God?

Here is the best solution, a quote from a Franciscian Friar I heard speak last weekend:

"When you pray and you feel good, that's God's gift to you. When you don't feel it but you pray anyway, thats your gift to God."

Whenever you have a difficulty making that connection, just keep praying. God is listening and He's there, whether you realize it or not. Just don't get discouraged!

You might not be 100% certain of yourself and your relationship with the Lord -
Uncertainty comes from doubt, fear, and a lack of trust. Three things that have no place in the life of a Christian!

Just keep on going, don't stop! You won't be dissappointed.


Remember that He is always with you. You don't have to take my word for it, here are the words of Jesus himself:
" ..behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

Prayer is a two way street and one doesn't work without the other (and guess what? It's always coming through on God's end). It really does take faith to pray.
God isn't here in human form anymore, we have to rely on His Spirit and be His hands and feet on Earth until He comes again. Until then, we still have ways of connecting with God: the sacraments, through each other, acts of love, but the most accessible and open connection is prayer.
Not everyone has had a great deal of the gift of faith in their lives. It is vitally important that we, the Body of Christ, reach out to our brothers and sisters who struggle with love and help them get to Heaven.

If you are not quite sure how to pray or need some guidance, talk to a priest/pastor, deacon, nun, brother, or dedicated layperson, and they can definitely help you.