Making time for prayer when you’re really busy

Thursday, April 19th, 2018

It’s easy to start playing the Busy Parent Card.

You know the one: You read an article about ways to better connect or deepen your relationship with God and say, “Yeah, well, glad that works for other people, but no way that works for me! I’ve got kids! I’ve got work to do! I’ve got people to feed and pick up after!”

Becky Eldredge, a mom of three, spiritual director, and the author of Busy Lives and Restless Souls, understands all too well what we’re up against, but still says there are practices that work right into our schedules — even the “toughies” like silence and dedicated time for prayer.

In fact, as someone who gets up long before her family to spend time in prayer, Becky says we can all do it to.

It’s a matter, she says, of “setting aside a daily time for prayer that you honor and schedule on your calendar like you would any other appointment.”

“This daily time of being with God grounds your day in silence and stillness with God,” Becky says.

“The silence of our home helps me still and quiet myself to just be with God and hear God’s voice. It reminds me of Psalm 46:6, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’”

Pray as you can, not as you can’t

But Becky notes that what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for everyone.

Becky says she lives by the motto of her priest-friend: “Pray as you can, not as you can’t.”

“It is easy for life’s responsibilities and roles to get in the way of our prayer lives,” Becky says.

At times, we can say “yes” to a lot of things that we put as precedence over our relationship with God.

Being intentional and scheduling time with God on our calendars and honoring this time like we would any appointment helps keep this a priority in our life.”

“At the same time,” Becky cautions, “we have to be gentle with ourselves when life calls us to care for children, for aging family members, or for our own health.

“During those times, we might not be able to honor our set prayer period because our call is to show love to those around us at that time.

“We can still lean on God and turn to God at anytime because we carry an ‘inner chapel’ within us that we can access at any time.”

Becky gives the example of a mother of six who sought spiritual direction to help her grow deeper in faith. Continue reading