Do you get distracted when you pray?

By Elizabeth Prata

Do you ever get distracted when you pray? I do. I pray out loud to help me stay on course, but even then… lol. We are weak people. The spirit is willing but the flesh is so weak (Matthew 26:41).

On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; (Acts 10:9-10).

The sixth hour is noon. The word hungry here in the Greek is “very hungry”. Perhaps Peter had been busy all day preaching and teaching, and hadn’t eaten, and suddenly realized his hunger during the quiet moment of prayer. He was desiring to eat. Maybe Peter had requested someone make him a lunch, or he heard the hosts were preparing it below in the house because it’s a normal time to eat. In any case, Peter was praying but he was also distracted by thinking about food.

For though Peter does not stand amazed as one that is tongue tied, but talks with God and is instructed in his mysteries, yet his mind was far from being as it normally was;

(Geneva Bible Commentary)

With all that we ladies have to get done in a day, it’s easy to succumb to chatter in our minds. We suddenly think of all the things we need to be doing. Or, the house is quiet for once and you drift off to sleep when you close your yes in prayer. A catnap intrudes!

The Lord desires to have us much in communion with Himself. The reluctance of the carnal heart to dwell in God’s presence is terrible. We will rather speak of Him than to Him.

David McIntyre, The Hidden Life of Prayer & Isaac Ambrose, English Puritan

Prayer is actually spiritual warfare. When we clasp those hands and look to God in communion through prayer, it is a planting of the flag on Hamburger Hill against satan. That’s why it is so hard.

But it’s is good to see that even Peter became distracted once in a while! He was human, like we are human. Keep praying and know that some days will be a sweet communion and other days will be a struggle.