7 Words that will Help You Focus on the Lord When You Pray
How well do you focus on the Lord when you pray?
I have the best of intentions…
I want to enter my War Room in warrior mode and make an impact on the battles taking place in the spiritual realm. But I struggle with ADD . . . my mind darts from thought to thought. It’s like looking at a computer screen with too many folders open.
That’s just what’s going on in my head. Don’t even get me started on how impossible it is to stay focused when external distractions tempt me.
Life is busy, loud, and hectic . . . it’s not easy to focus on the Lord when I pray. I’m guessing it’s not easy for you to focus on the Lord when you pray, either.
Our to-do lists are full and our phones buzz and beep with calls, text messages, and app notifications. Is it any wonder that it’s hard to find time for undistracted prayer?
I can have the best intentions when it comes to spending time with the Lord – but slowing down, getting quiet, and staying on track is hard…
So, I’ve come up with a list of words to help us focus on the Lord when we pray.
7 Words that will Help You Focus
on the Lord When You Pray
PREPARE
Pause to prepare your heart and mind. Remember . . . the God of the universe wants to spend time with you. He wants to talk with you about your flaws and failures. He invites you to share your hopes and dreams, your worries and anxieties, and your needs physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Matthew 6:6
It’s so easy to skip the praise part and jump straight to the struggles. But when you and I remember who God is and all He has done, our problems seem less overwhelming. It’s in moments of praise we remember that He has always been and will always be the God of possibilities.
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
Mark 10:27
Forgiveness! I need it and I need to give it! But it’s never easy, is it? It’s hard to admit our failures and commit to change but when we go to God with a repentant heart – we receive His mercy and grace. We are forgiven! And forgiven people are inspired to forgive others.
If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9, Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
ASK
God invites us to come to Him with our needs and the needs of others. We are encouraged to talk with Him about our joys and struggles and our hopes and dreams. Jesus told us to bring our burdens to Him…
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
After we pray, repent, and ask . . . it’s time to intentionally give it all to God trusting His unfailing love and perfect care. It’s time to pray the words of Jesus, “I want Your will to be done, not mine.”
We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
Romans 8:28
Then…
Sitting quietly and listening is really hard for my pinball brain. But it’s important. Ending our time of prayer intentionally sitting still in God’s presence gives Him the opportunity to speak to our hearts.
“Be still, and know that I am God!”
Psalm 46:10
And…
PERSIST
Waiting is hard. Trusting God’s perfect timing isn’t easy. Sometimes we just have to say, “Lord I will trust Your perfect will. Give me peace while I wait on You.”
Wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.
Psalm 62:1—2
Let’s pray…
Focus on the Lord in Prayer
Father, I thank You for who You are. Your Word tells me that You promise to hear the prayers of Your children. You invite me to come before You with gratitude and praise . . . to bring You every care and concern. So, I come to You in humble thanks and praise.
Please forgive my tendency to restlessly focus on the world around me rather than on the “better things” You want for me. (Luke 10:42) Forgive me for worrying and failing to carry my burdens to You in prayer.
Please give me all I need to live this day for Your glory. Make me forgiving and kind, caring and compassionate. Heal those who are struggling physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. Protect me from the enemy and by Your grace, surround me with Your love.
I trust Your will, Lord, and surrender myself to Your care. I believe that You are at work for my ultimate good and that You will provide everything I need to accomplish Your purposes in my life.
I will intentionally and quietly listen for Your guiding voice and I will pray without ceasing because I believe You are who You say You are and You always keep Your promises. I come before You in the precious name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus. Amen.
When He preached the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said,
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Matthew 7:7—8
Don’t give up. I think we all have times when it’s hard to stay focused. But by God’s grace, we are invited to return . . . to never stop praying. We are welcomed by the One who promises to hear the cries of our hearts and respond with a Father’s perfect love.
May you focus on the Lord when you pray and experience the blessing of being still in His presence.
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We must be kindred spirits. ADD – yes expecially thoughts that go everywhere. Outside influences, especially music, steal my mind and take me away from what I want to be doing. For me to focus on God and my prayer time it must be completely silent. I also write or type my prayers. I find doing this forces me to stay completely (most of the time, almost) focused on my God.
Love your posts Deb! Thanks!
Marie
I love to write my prayers too, Marie. It helps me focus and also encourages me to pause and listen. Thanks so much for your kind encouragement. Blessings, my friend!
I will be having cataract surgery on the 16th of November. My right eye has already been cleared with great success. My concern is I had a panic attack just when surgery was going to begin. My prayer is God would free me from claustrophobia and panic attacks. Thank you for your prayers . I know aged hears all and answers!????
I’m praying for you, Beverly. Asking the Lord to hold you close and give you His peace before and during your surgery. And praying that it will be a wonderful success. God bless you!
I think focus is an issue for most of us, Deb. I can’t help but think of Paul when he said he ends up doing exactly what he doesn’t want to do when he has every good intention. We certainly need God’s help, even to stay focused on Him.
Blessings!
Wow, we all can certainly relate to Paul’s words, can’t we? We do need God’s help . . . every single day! Thanks, my friend! God bless you!
Very useful advice. I Usually fail at the first word – Prepare! Blessing Deb.
Thanks much, Angela! God’s blessings!
Deb. I really thank you for all of your wonderful writings that you provide for us all to enjoy! I look forward to reading any of your writings. My heart soars with your words you share with us about our Heavenly Father and Jesus our Lord and Savior! You have really given me the drive that I needed to go to God once again. I walked away years ago but now I know that I need God in my life more than ever.
Thank-you for your God given gift of sharing his word with us all.
Thank you so very much for your kind words, Mickie! I love being able to do this and I especially love connecting with wonderful people, like you! May God be with you and bless you as you SEEK Him and His Kingdom. God bless you!
I am very thankful for this message. I have struggled with this “focus” issue for a long time. I thought it was just me. My brain seems to be never still. So, it was good to learn that others have the same problem. Hearing God’s voice over all of the turmoil and noise of this world is what we all need.
Thank you once again for a wonderful lesson. AND for letting me know I am not alone.
You are definitely not alone, Sue. I’ve been journaling while I read the Bible and pray . . . it helps me slow down and I love going back to see the ways the Lord has worked in me. His patience is such an amazing blessing. And your encouragement blessed me, too! Thanks! God be with you!
Oh Deb, familiar problems indeed. Not even only the wondering thoughts but many times the devil’s attacks that I’m just repeating the same requests why would God listen to me. I catch myself throughout the day discussing one thing or another with the Lord, either because I realize that He would have responded differently to a situation, or because I need His help, or just share a thank you. In one of your posts you wrote that the Lord said “Come and let’s talk ..”. And this quote living in my heart ever since. Most of the time that is the opening line of my prayers that “Father You invited me to talk, here I am”. Another big help I found is in a sermon series by Max Lucado that is based on the Book of Joshua. This book always have been special to my heart as I had my Jericho moments in life. But again, there was a catch phrase that grabbed onto my heart – “remember that you fight FROM VICTORY and NOT for victory.”. God already won the battle. I, we just have to receive our gift, our inheritance from Him. So whenever things get hard, I remind myself of this truth. Another favorite lesson from this book for me that instead of looking at Jericho’s wall, its formidableness, focus on God Who tumbled down all this in a snap. As I always tell myself, if He did it back then than most surely He can do it again today.
My heart’s biggest desire is to gain that pure, childlike Trust and Faith in Him as a kid has it with his father. I want that kind of connection when good or bad, I trustingly can go to Jesus with everything, fully expect that faithfully to His promise He will help and be a solution for it.
I have a real difficult time to sit and wait in silence as that’s the perfect chance for my brain bringing up all the various tasks I have to deal with.
So through the day, I find myself in an inner discussion with the Lord about things that I feel He would have handled differently, or going to ask for help, or just simply share a thank you.
I read so many sermons about prayer and honesty most of them discouraged me as I felt a complete failure, constantly questioining the sincerety of my prayers. Nowdays, I just go and bring what’s on my heart and mind, while reminding myself that Jesus wanted me to come as I am then it stands for my prayers as well. He knows my heart better than I, He can decipher what I’m trying to tell Him.
It’s a wonderful thing that we can go to Him, that He cares and loves us….. blessings Deb.
I agree, Gaby. I too, want to run to Jesus with childlike trust and faith. By grace alone with the help of His Spirit. I pray to remember each moment that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” God bless you, my friend!
Hi Deb. ???? I just read this message reminding us how important spending TIME with our Lord in prayer is. And the tips you shared (7 words) are helpful. I plan to make myself a list note to use until I memorize the list as “helpful words” for staying focused when having my own intentional prayer moments. Thank you. ????
I’m so glad you were blessed and encouraged, Marcy! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. God be with you and bless you!