What are the obstacles to an effective prayer life? Just as there can be no relationship without communication, there is no Christian life without prayer. Prayer is an indispensable element in our walk with God, and like a bridge that connects two ends, prayer connects us to the Father. Because of its great importance, it is one of the first things the enemy wants to destroy, he wants by all means to break this link, this connection that we have with Yahweh.
Likewise, through our ignorance or negligence, we sometimes place little value on this instrument, which somehow causes cuts or noises on the line.
What is a life of prayer first?
First of all, this notion of “prayer life” does not refer to any practice that one does intermittently or when one feels like it. It is a manifestation of a heart submitted to God and which knows that without Him it is lost, it is nothing and therefore it dedicates itself to seeking God through prayer. Obviously, obstacles to this life of prayer can arise. So let’s see what can be obstacles to effective prayer life.
Failure to indulge in prayer.
Ephesians 6:18 (KJV): “At all times pray in the spirit with all kinds of prayers and supplications. Watch over this with full perseverance and pray for all the saints. »
Are you used to hearing this saying: it is by eating that the appetite comes”? If so, then it won’t seem too absurd to you to know that one of the first obstacles to an effective prayer life is still the lack of time you spend in prayer and the fact that you do not persevere.
Moreover, the Bible recommends us to pray without ceasing. To pray without ceasing is to pray for all things, on all occasions, whatever your mood, whatever the situation. It is taking time in the presence of God. If there are days when you feel you cannot pray, the solution remains prayer. Tell yourself also that prayer is not a matter of routine or formalism. God is always with us, wherever we are, so we can talk to Him in peace as we talk to a friend.
Imagine when you have the opportunity to visit a friend for a whole day, you talk to them for the whole duration and there is always something to talk about. It must be the same for God, you can talk to Him in complete privacy in the secrecy of your heart. He is your friend, He has declared it to you.
Matthew 6:6 (Martin Bible): But you, when you pray, go into your closet, and having closed your door, pray to your Father who sees you in the secret place; and your Father who sees you in this secret place, will reward you publicly.
A lack of knowledge of God.
Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV): You will seek Me, and you will find Me if you seek Me with all your heart.
Do you think you can be friends with someone without getting to know them? To seek God with all one’s heart is first to learn to know Him, and He reveals Himself to us through His Word. Quite often it is said that we seek God and pray to Him and He does not answer, when in fact we do not even know His way of acting, or how He can answer us.
When God speaks to you, He is not necessarily going to do so audibly. And as the Bible points out in the book of Job in verse 14 of the thirty-third chapter: “However, God speaks, sometimes in one way, sometimes in another, and no one pays attention to it. So He can speak to you through His Word. But if you don’t read His Word, if you don’t get to know Him through His Word, do you see how much you can miss God’s words thinking He’s not answering you? Since there is no one who likes to speak in a vacuum, or who likes to be looked down upon, failure to grasp God’s answer to your prayer can discourage you from continuing to pray.
God does not remain insensitive to the voice of His children, “when the righteous cries, the Eternal hears and He saves him”. However great your desire to seek Him and become His friend, it cannot match His. But, He also wants you to be able to grasp all the facets of His “personality” as you would a friend with whom you wish to develop a friendship.
The worries and cares of life.
Philippians 4:6 (KJV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in all things make your needs known to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.
Sometimes in this life that you lead on this earth, problems of all kinds can arise. But when you let these worries overwhelm you, you may be subject to moments of doubt and despair that keep you from praying. We may live through difficult times and great distress, but even when you feel troubled or in pain, never doubt God’s plan for your life.
Even if you have the impression that God abandons you during these hard times, never stop fixing your gaze on Him. During these moments of distress, you can receive advice that could encourage you to abandon the faith, so intense the suffering can be. But do not be discouraged, continue to pray.
Isaiah 41:10 (KJV): Do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not cast anxious glances, for I am your God; I strengthen you, I come to your aid, I sustain you with My triumphant right hand.
READ MORE:
- 10 hindrances to prayer and how to overcome them
- How to Receive Answers to Your Prayers
- What kind of prayer does God answer?
A life inconsistent with the presence of God.
Psalms 24:3-4 (KJV)
Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord, which shall be exalted to His holy place? – He who has innocent hands and a pure heart; one who does not deliver his soul to lies and who does not swear to deceive.
If you want to lead an effective prayer life, your life must be consistent with the Word of God. A life according to the Word of God is a life of obedience, submission, and set apart for God. God wishes that by praying to Him you raise pure hands before Him. If you feel that your prayer life so far has been flawed by the fact that your life is not totally in accordance with His law, or if you also feel that deep down inside you there is still this feeling of guilt concerning your past actions that keep you from freely enjoying a fulfilling prayer life, know that His grace is there for every repentant heart.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) If My people upon whom My name is called humble themselves, pray, and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways; – I will answer him from heaven and I will forgive his sin and I will heal his country.