Prayer is one of the most challenging practices for Christians to cultivate. Many Christians, including leaders, admit to struggling with the discipline of maintaining a prayer life. Some reasons that make adopting a prayer lifestyle seem difficult include challenges related to the flesh. The Bible recognizes the flesh as a significant hindrance to prayer. For instance, on the night He was betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus rebuked His disciples for their inability to stay awake and pray with Him, saying,
…The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41b).
The weariness and fragility of the human body often pose setbacks in the pursuit of spiritual matters. Additionally, the inherent tendency of human nature toward sinful desires is another factor that weakens our spiritual journey. The allure of the world and the pursuit of material things also interfere with our desire for a devoted prayer life. Finally, Satan, our adversary who seeks to hinder our relationship with God, tempts us in many ways to obstruct our spiritual growth.
Overcoming the challenges associated with prayer in a Christian's life often requires more than just discipline and intentionality. While these suggestions are commonly offered, they frequently yield little result because they fail to address both the physical weariness we experience and the distractions posed by the world and Satan’s cunning. One important factor that is often overlooked in this discussion is the role of faith. A lack of faith is a significant barrier to developing a consistent and meaningful prayer life. The issue is more psychological than it is about principles or mechanics. Our struggle to truly believe and to know God as a personal being contributes to our difficulties in engaging in prayer. Often, it is the invisibility of God that leads us to become prayerless.
We must have the right understanding of God to overcome the challenge of prayer illusion. This involves recognizing God as a personality and approaching Him not from an abstract perspective, but as a real person. The writer of the book of Hebrews captures this well in Hebrews 11:6 (NIV):
Without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
When we develop a personal understanding of God, we can overcome doubt and anxiety, confidently approaching Him in His presence. Formulaic prayer principles lose significance because prayer evolves into a genuine fellowship between the divine and the human. At this level, prayer becomes a deep desire for God's companionship, and love instead of need becomes the basic reason for prayer.