Heavy Prayer

Jesus says that when we feel burdened and labored we should come to him and he will give us rest (Matthew 11: 28-32). Sometimes I just don't want to do my prayer routine. It feels labored. I am bored with it, or find it so dry at the moment, or I just ache in one way or another.

One teaching would say that we should do our routines as a matter of discipline, a decision to pray, even with no particular enthusiasm for it. But I have another idea. God does not want to be a burden in our life. God came to give us life, to lift us up. So why not change the routine for this particular day or moment? Instead of the routine, go do something that you might like for yourself and invite God to go along. I would go to the ice cream store for something chocolate, or maybe just go shopping to some store I have not been to in a while to see what is there. I might take a walk down a street that I have not been to in a while. I invite God to come along and I chat as things come up. "Thank you God for chocolate!" "Oh God, look at that beautifully designed house or that beautiful flower."

God does not need my routines. I do. But sometimes I need to drop them lest they become like a burden, a rut. This will pass, and then I can go back to my routines. We all need a break sometimes. God is always with us wherever we go.