New Identity Magazine - Issue 37

Page 17

17

Identify

Advice On Life, Faith & Relationships 3 LINDSEY A. FREDERICK

Dear Lindsey,

Dear Unimpressed,

I’ve been a Christian for a little while now, but I have to admit: I don’t really like to pray. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that I have a hard time staying focused. Some people say they can hear or feel God talk to them, but I don’t feel anything. It makes me wonder if I am doing it right. Do I have to pray to be a good Christian?

Can I tell you a secret? I’ve considered myself a Christian for more than 30 years, and I still struggle to pray. But I’ve learned some things about prayer over the years—mostly about what it is not—that have helped me.

Signed, Unimpressed by Prayer

First, prayer is not easy. You’ve already discovered this. Talking to God is simple, but like any discipline (and prayer is a discipline), sometimes it can feel like a chore. To use a cliché, it’s like going to the gym: You may not want to go—you grumble at the idea of lifting that weight or running that mile. It’s hard. It’s uncomfortable. Sometimes it even hurts. But you know it’s good for you and you like the overall effect

PRAYER IS NOT EASY

NEW IDENTITY MAGAZINE.COM


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