Discipleship

WHY PRAYER WITH INTENTION IS CRITICAL

Especially During the Summer Months!

With the break of Spring, we are aware of the busyness that is soon to follow.

Not always work-related appointments either. Warmer seasons seem to boost our social calendar more than anything. Longer days and warmer nights often leads us to pack more into them.

From soccer practice to family hikes, church picnics to backyard barbecues; the calendar gets full quick!

Obviously, these are all great things!

This being said, our devotional life can suffer greatly as we pack social events into our lives. It’s almost like there’s so many people around all of the time, that there’s no room for God!

The Screwtape Letters” by C. S. Lewis is,

…a series of letters from a senior Demon Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, a Junior Tempter. The uncle’s mentorship pertains to the nephew’s responsibility for securing the damnation of a British man known only as ‘the Patient’.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Screwtape_Letters)

In this book, C. S. Lewis wrote the following:

The best thing, where it is possible, is to keep the patient from the serious intention of praying altogether.

This is so pertinent to our summer calendars! The Enemy wants us to be in a state of popcorn prayer, throwing items up to the Lord as they pop into our heads.

When there are events and functions happening on a constant basis; it is so difficult to set aside specific time for prayer and devotion, with as C. S. Lewis notes, “serious intention“.

Difficult, not impossible!

We can start today, before summer fully takes over! As each dray brings slightly longer days and warmer nights, we will do more things, meet more people and stay out later.

This means, that scheduling our secluded time with the Lord today, will become vital practice in the coming months. Set reminders, mark our calendars, be proactive, have serious intention in our prayer and devotion.

Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts:

Do you find warmer weather brings busier schedules? How so you stay focus on the Lord during such a busy season? How do you have serious intention within your prayer and devotional life?

Your thoughts are valuable! Why not leave a few?