For those of us who worry about how “good” our prayer can possibly be when we’re constantly barraged by distractions or dryness, the following story will make you feel a lot better!
I was at a silent retreat in suburban Philadelphia years ago when a Carmelite friar was addressing our concerns about distractions and dryness in prayer.
“As long as these distractions aren’t willful,” he said, “meaning you didn’t go to prayer with the intention of writing this week’s grocery bill, don’t worry about them. They’re part of the human condition.”
As for dryness, he said, “As long as this isn’t the result of backsliding and lukewarmness, dryness is one of the ways God matures you in your spiritual life. Dryness is how He weans you off that ‘feel good religion’ and teaches you how to come to prayer for Him and not to make yourself feel better.”
When he could see that we were still a bit troubled by our deficiencies in prayer, he told us this story.
“Remember those little stick figures you used to draw for your mom as a kid? As silly as they looked, how did your mother react to them? Didn’t she praise you for your artistic talent, maybe call you ‘another Piccasso’ and make you feel like that goofy drawing belonged in the local art museum? Your mom knew you put your whole heart into that silly little stick figure and would proudly hang it up on the refrigerator for all to see.
“Well, that’s how God looks at our pitiful attempts at prayer. Our weak little efforts are the equivalent of those silly little stick figures. And just like your mom, God sees the intention behind those prayers. ‘It’s the thought that counts’, right? God knows you pray because you want Him in your life, you want a relationship with Him – and that’s enough for Him! Your prayers don’t have to be perfect, they just have to be for the right intention.”
In other words, God cares more about why you’re praying, than how you’re praying.
The bottom line is this – God doesn’t get hung up on our distractions and neither should we!
