A student with a burden for revival runs into a familiar challenge: filling his prayer time without becoming distracted or discouraged.

The Scenario

My campus group has been encouraging us to pray for revival in our personal lives and at our school. I even read an interesting biography about someone who did this. But for some reason, I haven't figured out what I'm supposed to do. I know I should pray, a lot ... even a few hours at a time? It all sounds great to me-the call to prayer, the joy of prayer, the results of prayer ...

So I set my alarm clock and drag out of bed a few minutes early, kneel down with an open Bible, and ... well, that's about where I get stuck. My mind is all over the place-homework, temptation, breakfast, vacation, going back to sleep-and then I feel even worse. I can't even pay attention to God for five minutes?

I really need some help with specifics.

Fight Spiritual ADD

Well, here's a little help from an unexpected source—my deceased dad. Like you, he had a real desire to pray, but distractibility was a problem for him too. Part of the problem was that he had a very active mind. But he believed that another part of the problem was actually spiritual. In other words, he believed that the devil knew the power of prayer and so was shooting fiery darts of distraction when he tried to pray.

His advice for fighting this spiritual ADD? A blank sheet of paper and a pen. Every time a distracting thought would come, about what needed to be done or something he'd forgotten or even a new idea, he would simply jot it down on the paper and return his mind to prayer, secure in the knowledge that nothing would be lost or forgotten now that it was in writing.

This technique can keep you from becoming overly frustrated by your wandering mind, allowing you to return your attention to prayer. A secondary benefit is that you can close your prayer time by asking God which things on your new "To Do" list should be priority for the day. In this way your distractibility can actually become an aid to your spiritual life.

Del Fehsenfeld was trained as a family counselor and is the Senior Editor for Life Action Ministries.


Use God's Gifts

Perhaps I can help you with two practical ideas. I have a friend who faithfully walks outside during his time of prayer. Of course, the energy expended is a benefit physically, but it also helps in staying awake and communing with God. There are few things more inspiring than being surrounded by God's wonderful creation. Allow nature to provide "prayer prompters" for God's blessings, goodness, power, etc.

Secondly, many people know that Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. But I've also found it to be one of the best places to meditate and pray for revival. For instance, "Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way" (v. 37 NKJV). That verse alone could prompt us to pray for a whole host of things in our personal lives: use of time, use of money, focus, dreams, etc. Praying God's Word back to Him is a powerful prayer technique.

Keep on asking, seeking, and knocking (Matt. 7:7), and do not lose heart in the good discipline of prayer (Gal. 6:9).

Wilson Green pastored for 21 years in Virginia and Illinois before joining Life Action in 1999. He currently co-leads a Life Action summit team.


Make It Personal

We don't really need any more formulas to help us order our prayer "properly," because prayer is, at heart, simply communication with a Person. (Yes, He is invisible, but He is still a real Person!) This Person isn't like a professor, looking for correct grammar and construction, "grading" you along the way. He is your loving Father. He hasn't simply invited you to pray—He loves you and delights in your dependence on Him. This perspective changes everything about prayer.

When you go home on Christmas break, you don't monitor your speech as you sit with your family, being sure you're staying on topic and presenting your requests in the right order. No, you back your car up the driveway and dump out all your laundry. You can't wait to hug your family and tell them everything you're thinking! The same can be true in our times of prayer with the heavenly Father.

Are you tempted? Talk with Him about it. Are you distracted by worries? Tell Him. Do you long for your campus to be revived? Tell Him so, and rest in this beautiful assurance—even if your prayer is off-balance, ill-conceived, or sleepy-eyed, the Holy Spirit transforms it, and your Savior presents it before the Father! So relax, and enjoy your conversations with God.

Elyse Fitzpatrick has been a counselor since 1989. She is the author of over a dozen books, including Overcoming Fear, Worry and Anxiety (Harvest House, 2001).

Advice

1. Head over to LifeAction.or/Prayer to find the article by Tom Nesbitt, who teaches us how we can use the Bible itself as our guide to prayer. To pray specifically about revival, use Pastor Tom's method for passages like James 4:4-10, Psalm 85, or Psalm 51.

2. Walk in the park. Most communities have beautiful trails at local parks-perfect places to quietly commune with the Lord. Start by simply thanking Him for the beauty you see, and praying about whatever comes to mind along the way.

3. Tell a Christian friend that you want to be faithful in prayer each morning. If you're trying to get up early to pray, find someone else with the same intention. Commit to call one another as a backup to your alarm clocks, and encourage each other to get up, get ready, and get praying!

4. Start a student revival prayer group. Pick a time and place on campus you could meet with others interested in seeing revival. Whether you have 3 or 300 in attendance, you'll discover new power and joy in prayer.

5. In the "Making It Personal" section on p. 28, you'll find some helpful patterns and ideas for prayer. These may help you get started until you are comfortable conversing with God more naturally.