Why Is Prayer So Hard?
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- Опубликовано: 12 ноя 2019
- Growing up Fr. Mike thought prayer should be like soaking in a hot tub. He didn’t understand why it was so hard when he tried it.
It took him a while to learn that, as the Catechism says, prayer is a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. Prayer always presupposes effort. There’s always some kind of engagement when we properly pray to God. It’s not just about soaking in God’s grace. The required effort in prayer is difficult more often than it is not. Prayer is a battle against ourselves and “the wiles of the tempter who does all he can to turn man away from prayer” (CCC 2725).
Over time, Fr. Mike discovered that prayer needs to be more than a momentary time where we seek solace and closeness with God. We need to constantly acknowledge our relationship with God throughout the day, just as a husband and wife are constantly thinking of each other. Then when we do set aside time to simply be with God, it happens more naturally.
If you want to improve your prayer life, make the intentional and faithful decision to live the same way outside of prayer as you do within prayer.
Read “The Battle of Prayer” section in the Catechism.
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I am an adult with ADHD, so focussing on anything is hard. In prayer I find my mind wanders, as always. This is why Catholic prayers, and the rosary are so good. Learning and reciting them really helps. As an adolescent and in my 20s I really did feel that "pull" from the Father of Lies, who would invade my thoughts as I tried to pray. "Vade retro Satana" works every time.
NORMAL PEOPLE TYPE BIBLE CRITICISM ONLINE AND LEARN THE BIBLE IS FICTION AND THE HEBREW MYTHS ARE TOO. HOW EDUCATED ARE YOU, HEATH?
one day i went into my church in the dead of winter. i was all alone doing my rosary beads. it was very quiet. the light in the church was blue and warm. i lost all track of time. was i there 5 minutes or 1 hour. i cant explain it. but it was a very beautiful experience. i felt like i was truly in gods house.
Beautiful
Thanks for sharing your experience
That sounds awesome. Thanks for sharing. (PD: remember to write "God" with uppercase G)
@@rolandantoniogeldressavche3443 I will.
Wow feels good just imagining that.. God bless
I envy you for that!
When I became catholic it was so easy, my heart longed the time of prayer and I rushed towards it. Now it has been a long time of dry walking and it is so hard! Thanks for the help!
Keep the hope and faith! I just got over a long bout (over ten months) of extreme dryness, which caused a lot of emotional pain, but boy, when my prayer life came alive again, I got on my knees and praised God-- because all the more peace and joy came out of it. When it's gone and dry, you have the opportunity to miss it more severely; so when it returns, it's extra sweet. God bless! Persevere!
God bless you...
Thanks! I try to keep on going. For me it has been already years of dryness and I feel often lost. But He knows what he is doing, and perhaps I'm always lost
@@Arckaro You are absolutely correct... He knows what he is doing. :) Just keep praying! I am sorry this battle has been so long for you. Almost a year was long enough for me!! And even now, it comes and goes.
I used to become so distressed when in those dry times and I don't know that I was always faithful to prayer but now those are the times I pray for and am most grateful for. A friend of mine told me it's when we don't feel like loving that our love becomes real. It's only when we don't want to love and serve God that we actually can do it not for any pleasure it gives us but only for Him. Only for Him whom we love and who deserves all our love. I didn't know what a gift those dry time we're and are. That that's when we grow! ...I also have come to understand that the dry times show that God believes in us and trusts us to be faithful even when it's difficult. The longer and drier it is the more God believes in you! ... the more he's entrusted you with.😉 I do hope that this helps everyone it's meant to. God bless you!
The early morning battle is real, but for me, that’s when the Lord wants my attention. But MAN is it an honor to run with endurance into this inevitable battle for Christ.
I just wake up and start out with the creed then the lord's prayer with 3 hail marys as i change clothes. By the time i get to the first mystery I am ready to leave I pray my first rosary as I drive because I can remember the mysteries and most of the story with the reflection.
Please pray for me, that I can sleep at night. Thank you and God bless you.
i wake up and touch myself down there. Jesus told me he wants me to do that first thing.
I always start my morning prayer and my evening prayer with gratitude. Giving thanks to God. And interestingly, no matter how horrible that day was or appears to be, I ALWAYS find at least 10 reasons to be grateful. And this state of gratitude lifts me up to the true joy (remember “Rejoice always”, Phil 4). At that point my heart is in coherence with my brain and I truly feel the presence of God. Jesus is right here, permanently (he said “I am the vine, you are the branches”. He didn’t say I am this tree here and you are those plants over there. There is no separation). And at that point I just sit there, basking in the light and love of God. Not saying/doing anything, just being with God. Sometimes 10 min, sometimes 5 min, sometimes 30 min. But when I stand up and go about my day, I am aware that Jesus is right there with me. And so the rest of my day is basically an extension of my prayer and I approach everything from a place of love. God’s Grace is AWESOME! 😃🙏💖
Prayer is a battle. But every time we pray, we displease the evil one and we build a relationship and communicate with God.
A game changer for me was hearing a priest here on RUclips (not Father Mike) say that he couldn’t sit still either and walked instead while saying the rosary. I’m a fidgety person by nature and keeping still while in prayer more than 5 minutes has always been difficult for me. So hearing that it was okay to move around while praying was perfectly acceptable was revolutionary for me. Now I have no trouble saying a rosary every day while walking either outside or on a treadmill is no problem for me anymore. Wish I had known this 30 years ago!
Please say a quick prayer for me whoever reads this, I rlly need it right now.
Praying, you are not alone, brother
Yes. Of course.
@@sallyb4309 thank you!
@@I_Love_Jesus thank you!!
Praying!
Wow just when I think something just is, father mike comes in clutch with the answers. Thank you.
Thanks be to God for His perfect timing
He is truly a God send
"Prayer is a battle... first, against ourself"
My prayers take four forms. One is when I say prayers in the shower. The second is when I kneel and pray in my bedroom. The third is when I sit in an easy chair. And the fourth is when I pray to
The Lord and offer thanksgivings while I go about my day.
Fr Mike even though I’m not catholic but identify as a follower of Jesus I don’t attend any church but find you are refreshing to listen to.
I'm not a Catholic either but I like his vids
I encourage you to try attending mass, it is so fulfilling.
Liz, you are being called to Catholicism. People who convert become even more fervent than those born in the faith.I will soon be 90 yrs old and do more praying and try to do more good works than ever before. I am trying hard to merit Heaven. Try it you will never regret it. God bless you and your intentions.
Prayer is a conversation. Like when you talk with a good friend, hours can seem to go by so quickly, and the next thing you know time has sped by
joseph jackson I just feel like I’m talking to myself
@@bryanwhitehurst1697 have faith, God’s listening! 😊
@@bryanwhitehurst1697 also self reflection is an important part of prayer
Prayer is indeed a battle for me. I get mental distractions. I don't wanna be seperated do from the Lord
I recite the Jesus prayer mentally at least fifty times a day, but it often feels like a battle. Have to remind myself to pray and contemplate truthfully, not superficially.
God bless you, Fr. Mike. You have helped me find the courage to leave protestant-based Christianity for Catholicism. I feel like I'm coming home to a place of refuge.
@Becky Rose No matter you are a Catholic or a protestant or whatever denomination, no denomination as long as you have Jesus in your heart and follow Him you are home.
Jesus is the only way the truth and the life.
God looks at the heart .
Hope you find peace that Jesus gives 🙏🏻
Praying is talking to The Lord. It matters not what denomination you are BUT one things for sure Rosary beads are a definite NoNo!!
@Taking charge have you read The Book of Revelation? If not I would urge you to read it and ask The Lord Jesus Christ to give you wisdom. I would urge you to consider whether what the pope espouses lines up with what The Lord Jesus taught. Then decide whether you are 'going home'. I say this to you out of love and concern and from a former Catholic background. I pray you will know the truth. We live in days of extreme deception with false Christs appearing and false Gospels preached. We must be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
Even when you don't feel like praying just pray. Give thanks to the lord and at least pray one rosery a day and ask God to give you the grace to pray more, the heavens ask for rosery so no doubt one will be given the grace to pray more if asked. This will help the heavens and also benefit you. God bless and keep the faith.
So true. I pray my rosary every day between 2 and 3am. I have learned that before i start i call on The Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. I thank the Father and Virgin Mary for all the good and blessings my family and had this day. Call on to Padre Pio and St Michael the Arcangel to help me fight the evil and distraction during my prayers. I do still get distracted. I Invision my family and myself in church in front of God and Birgin Mary. The devil is real but i belong to God. I am his servant and will forever fight to keep his way. God is good
Only too Jesus!!
me too, i open the Holy Rosary more than 3 times, st. Micharl Chaplet, St. Benedict prayer in english and latin, driving away the evils around us, although i do not understand latin, the Lord's Prayer 40 times, the divine mercy prayer and song, the whole morning, and pray and sing along, also in the afternoon and near bedtime, till 2 am, i'm in my 70ties, nothing very much to do, so praying a lot for my children and grandchildren, i pray even when i go walking, cooking even washing the dishes, it's being a habit for me, now.
I have faith and trust in the Lord, he does great things, miracles for me.
Y’all should look up the 14 rules of St. Ignatius.
Guaranteed to revolutionize your prayer life👍🏼
Maura Navarrete St. Theresa of Avila’s “Interior Castles” as well
I will look. I looked before, but I don't remember.
Okay, I will do that. Thank you.
I am a Protestant, leaning towards Orthodoxy. There are multi endeavours surrounding a prayer life. Being inspired, led, desire for prayer, discipline of habit, being driven by need, having rules - ignoring the rules. I have found great value in praying the Jesus Prayer morning and evening for a set period of time, peppering it with brief thoughts upon the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22) as I proceed. This helps to stop my mind from wandering as happens with quiet meditation. The prayer is moderating and calming upon the mind, emotions and wayward passions, and serves as a springboard into other types of prayers, including intercessions, confessions and praying in tongues. Thank you father Mike.
Hello Father Mike. Prayer used to be a battle for me until I felt the Lord calling me into sainthood, pure holiness.. in my early 40’s. Now, most of the time I yearn to pray. It bring so much fulfillment and peace. Especially praying for others.
I am in awe of how the Holy Spirit has given Father Mike such a gift to explain profound Catholic teaching in such simple terms...AND in minutes! Father Mike your short videos speak volumes to me. I appreciate you SO MUCH! I believe you are on the road to sainthood. God Bless You!
My husband is living with the threat of cancer even tho he had a prostatectomy. He is drinking too much too. I’m worried to death about this . Please keep him in your prayers . Thank you 🙏🏻❤️🌈
My fiance almost died of cirrhosis, he is here today only because he resolved to stop drinking. Please urge your husband to stop drinking, it will only make it worse. You are in my prayers
God bless you all 🌈🙏🏻📿
Praying my rosary is a battle. Saving it till last thing to do in the day, saying it whilst lounging on my sofa! Oui veh! 😆
Chuckie Cheesecake but you do it.
❤️
@Chuckie Cheesecake continue to persevere don’t give up God will bless your efforts
Same situation for me! We just need to persevere!
Literally me right now at the end of the day on the sofa still needing to pray my rosary
I was given a scriptural rosary book and also was given the suggestion of praying with one of those RUclips videos of scriptural rosary. Between those two methods, it has helped me a lot. But I still do struggle but again it has helped me stay focused.🙂
I've always found praying so easy. I slip in and out of faith, but I have always prayed no matter my stance at a specific time.
I find distraction my biggest hurdle. I start praying and then my mind wanders, I’m distracted by everything. I do think it’s the evil one trying to get in the way. I try to break my prayers into smaller and more frequent times that helps.
yes, I do think that also. I hope you're okay
Ally Cat Hello. Distraction is one of satan’s favorite ways to get to us. I sometimes have the same problem but no where near as much now. It is hard but fight with all you have. Someone told me once”The closer you get to God. The devil works 2 as hard to pull you back down.” Distractions is one of his ways. He wants you thinking about anything but God. Don’t give up discipline is the key. God Bless
Offer up the distractions and keep praying
Amy Mo Awesome. You know our heavenly Mother will and does scare the daylights out of him. You know if she was given the power to raise Jesus. I don’t know abt you but I would hate to get on her bad side if you know what I mean!! LOL ( not laughing at our Holy Mother) more like asking why would satan be so... God Bless
Ask Jesus, Mary, the Holy Spirit, and your guardian angel to be with you and help keep your mind from distraction, doesn’t ensure it but keep doing it and over time you’ll find a lot more focus
Father Mike, My wife and I have this discussion ALL THE TIME!!! Those days that we are worn out and too tired to get out of bed early and have our prayer with God, we need to remember this! (and get up anyway)
Some days are easier than others when it come to my prayer life.
Fr. Mike.....watching your face when you talk makes my heart smile.
I wish I had a priest like Father Mike during my 12 years of Catholic school. Everyone was so old and unapproachable. Thank you, so much Father Mike. I enjoy hearing your thoughts. God Bless You!!!
Fr. Mike. I am always starving for Jesus, my heart never satisfied , I strive while praying , striving in my prayer to GOD. I seek that deep relationship with my Redeemer, all across the moments of the day and not only during prayers, but as you said Father indeed , no single day pass without struggle and a fight against distraction, your guidance here was sweetest food to my soul. Grazie Mille.
When i was in my teen years, I was so on point with prayer and always with no effort and no hesitation I would pray. Now at 22 I struggle so much. However I do have times during my day where I pause and thank the Lord for the day at work, for the trees , for the cold and for little things that really make me work hard because they make me turn to him. My prayer life looks so much more different and I know I need to be more humble , persevering and fight the good fight!
Prayer life can be like looking for "Skipper Rocks" sometimes. If you "Hunt" hard enough for them and find one that works, USE IT! Shots out to Father Mike! You Rock! 🕊
Prayer is hard for me because I don't think I'm doing it right or long enough. I hear others saying prayers and my words don't pour out like theirs and I feel like I have what I want to say in my heart but can't get the words out. This was very helpfull.
In this season, prayer is a battle. I am currently in a 54 day Rosary Novena. I also try to pray the whole Rosary (all the mysteries every day). Its the time of silence that I am finding be the most of the battle. But I find strength in the Saints and our Lord.
To me it is a battle, definitly. I have a hard time keeping focus. I once saw an Interview with a Franciscan and he said to write out the prayers, like letters to the father or christ, if you have trouble focusing when staying in your head. I tried that, and the writing really helps a lot.
Yes, I have the same situations where I just cannot get it together (for some reason or another) to get through my prayers. I am usually interrupted by some noises or other distractions; so, I do all of my prayers before I go to sleep. I find that this is a quiet time and it does really help me relax to get to all of my intentions. I have found the same with recitation of The Holy Rosary; again, I set time aside to do it. It only takes 15 minutes or so, but I make a concerted effort to do one daily. After all, it is one of the most powerful tools against the Evil One. Thank you, Father Mike, for another truly insightful video post and for taking the time to be with all of us here. I try to watch at least one of your videos every night. Am a new fan to your Mass here online as well. May God continue to Bless you each and every day!
It is a battle and sometimes it's hard to find a right words to say. When I feel that struggle I just prayed "Our Father and Hail Mary" or sometimes I used the prayers of Jesus, Blessed Mother or any saints that I can relate in what I need at that moment! God bless Fr. Mike, thanks for the knowledge!
I find prayer easiest after going to confession which why I try to go regularly. I do find some prayers are easier to say than others for example it’s harder if they are in old English
Steph G YES I relate!!! After confession is best!!
Helpful m
I know exactly what your saying. Sometimes I just don’t know what to say in prayer.
This is just the thing I needed to hear, just finished my nightly prayers. Not feeling that I was “ into” it as much as I should be.
You are so right.. it’s a battle- some nights I pray myself to sleep- so easy to pray- like a musical tune- it flows..
Others times- it’s like a beginner.. choppy.
Thank you
God bless us all and have mercy
HI Father Mike there I'm so lucky there is a small chapel at my church Nazareth house it's called the little oratory,I find one on one time there with our Lord before I go to Adoration & Mass.
Praying for you Father Mike ❤🌹🙏
Fr. Mike, it is a spiritual battle for me to pray. But I have persevered.I have made a conscious effort every day since 16th Oct 2016 to pray the Rosary everyday, and still doing my covenant which i promised.Yes it is a battle some days better than others.
I love your channels, I am a Protestant from England and find your videos incredibly inspirational and certainly help keep me on a narrower path. God bless you all from the freezing cold and wet UK... x
Thank u Father Mike this was a “sign from God” .... Truly u have no idea .how many people you were DIRECTLY talking to right now. So thanks.
ST. MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA: “We create all kinds of difficulties in our prayer. Let us go back to what Jesus has taught - the intimate and simple prayer: ‘Our Father...’ Even little children can pray this.”
Thank God for U turns.....just when it gets intense ....my mind wanders
What happens to me is my mind wanders and I go off track. Then i try to get back to praying but ,as you say, what a battle.
I listened to this and agree with what you said . I think that the evil one tries to do anything to get people to not pray. So many saintsI have read about all experiences this . I became very ill about 6 years ago.Before this I had been doing a hour before the Blessed Sacrament once a week. I always would have a religious book with me and I found that’s was helped me with my prayer life.
I had a miracle happen afterI became paralyzed. I started sprayer life of mass ,rosary,and Divine chaplet everyone no matter what. I know about the saints from reading and they’ve talked abut the darkness in the the prayer life. I do my prayer on I tube . I don’t no how I would have made it without this.The only thing that bothers me is I long for the joy I see in 3 men on RUclips that I have met on watching RUclips, and Father Mike you are one of them.Yes my prayer life saved my life , I pray for joy.
To me prayer is a sort of battle, too. Without praying, it feels like my body is the only thing, that makes me realize that I am alive. But when I realize that God is hearing my thoughts and I start to adress my thoughts to God, to Jesus to the Holy Spirit and/or to the Saints, my whole earthly existence gets an upgrade. I can talk to the most caring and most holy mother ever. Talking to her brings me into relationship. I can talk to the greatest brother, bestest friend, king and servant ever existed. To talk in my mind to such wonderful persons is just awesome. My heart and soul craved for this honest love for a long time. I know it is true because my pain goes away when I pray and that is something a father wants for his children. I guess that is what spirituality means - being in a spiritual relationship. Thanks Father Mike for your Videos!
Prayer chair! That makes so much sense!
I was thinking about that today, thank you for this video!
Thank you, Father Mike! That was such a clear explanation and the example of the husband
and wife was spot on.
I'm having the toughest time praying and being a part of Mass. I'm constantly working weekends and dealing with college on weekdays. It's a battle everyday trying to be closer to God. I'd like to be close but I need to change.
I heard someone once say that they wanted to pray a rosary a day but they just didnt have time in their day. So they started with just one decade a day which takes maybe 3 or 4 minutes. Soon they started saying more of it at a time and within a relatively short time they worked up to a whole rosary a day. They were amazed that suddenly they had time where before they didnt think they had any. Take baby steps all the way to heaven. ❤
@@alishacanfield2009 thanks I'll try harder to do that
Dominick G I have the same schedule as you. I have school Tuesday and Thursday and work Thursday-Saturday. what will really help is don’t use ur social media and avoid watching idle shows that won’t help u spiritually. I’ve been doing if for a 54 novena prayer and I started in October and it’s really making a difference. You would be shocked at how much time you have when you get rid of distractions. It helps you detach from the world. I’m watching talks and taking notes and going to mass and adoration more. I’m shocked at what I have been able to do and u will as week. Download the app masstimes. It will show u mass near you, adoration, confession etc what time it all is and you can make ur schedule based off that. Good luck and God bless!
Dominick G Same I'm in my senior year or high school and also work but every night before I go to sleep I pray for just 2-5 minutes and then just try to find time to read my bible throughout the week when I can
@@madday9589 Thank you, I'll try to make time to pray more.
Thank you! Somedays it's so hard and someday so easy. I have noticed that sometimes I wake up praying, other times I'm asking Jesus what should I do in given situation. On my way to work, I talk to Jesus as he was sitting next to me.
Back in the graces of our Lord, I thought, praying was simply asking our Lord to take my will and I live in his well and to give me blessings that I need in order to be Christian to others after watching your video, I realized after a Google search copy paste
Keep in mind, first, that if you spend more than a few minutes paying attention to any passage in the Bible, you will be praying. For you will be listening to words that God guarantees, that God makes His own. Hence, the most natural way to pray with Scripture is to read it attentively and devoutly. So I will look forward to your Bible in a year. Maybe I’ll make it six months??? thank you for the video father, Mike Schmitz
thanks father i needed this
Thank you so so much, Father!! This is exactly what I needed today!!
Thank you, Father Mike! God bless you!!!
I really needed this video, thank you Father 😄
Yes that so true i do find it hard to pray but i am always thank our Lord Jesus Christ amen amen amen amen for ever thing he does for me and my family 💙💙💙💙😘😘😘😘❤❤❤❤🙏🙏🙏🌹🌹🌹
Thank you father GOD Bless you !!!!
Thank You Father Mike! God bless
I loved seeing Father Mike give this exact talk in person at my church last week! Thank you for recording it and allowing me to revisit it!
Hi Father Mike,
I just wanna say thank you to you. When I listen to you it helps me to concentrate on what’s important when it comes to my faith. You always have a message for me that helps invigorate my love for Christ.
My prayer life is a battle I've been losing for many years. May the LORD strengthen me for it. I do not want to continue in my failure.
Oh boy! This hit m right on the middle of my head like here that place where u can feel the pulse..!Father i mean thanks alot u really straightening this teenage lady up! Thank you.
Wow! Thanks for sharing I needed to litsen to this.
Thank you Father Mike! This was so helpful.
Thank you father Mike ❤❤❤🙏🙏🙏
I'm a baptized Catholic but I was raised atheist, I remember re-encountering Jesus at 18, and falling in love with the Rosary, what it meant, it's power and effectiveness, how good it is yet I had never prayed it, I literally thought Rosaries were necklaces, I didnt know you pray it. I started praying it daily, and the time flew by. As I got into the habit of praying it..it almost felt like a chore, I had forgotten what it had made me feel when I found out about it. I fell "out of love" with it, and it got harder to pray. So now my trick is to remember why I'm praying in the first place, not to see prayer as a chore, but as a gift, to remember the reason I even do it.
You’re amazing father.
Goodness! This was SO good. THANK YOU, I was blessed in this video.
God bless you
Thank you once again, Fr. Mike!! This is so on point.
Thank you Father Schmitz. Yes, I think prayer is a battle but I also want to be in communion with God. Thank you for the explanation and inspiration. I definitely with all my heart want to improve my prayer and my life. 🙏❤
This video is so spot on!!!!!!! Thank you for this!
Thank you for your video.. Just what I needed to hear.... God bless you father. 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Thank you for this Fr. Mike. ❤️🙏
Good luck on your mission!
It's been a while since I last had time to watch one of your videos and I had almost forgotten how much I love you! Thank you father, God bless you!!!
Thank you Father for sharing this. God bless you too. Always.
Thank you!
Very interested father Mike. So true
Praying the stations of the cross, and spending time in adoration.
Thank you so much for all the information you provide. Keep it coming! God bless
I love and look forward to my prayer time early in the morning before the sun comes up, using the Laudate app. I try my best to pray throughout the day offering things up for others. I remember your video on prayer when I was struggling...Fr. Mike, you suggested doing certain things for a season. That really helped me put things in perspective and get my prayer life back on track.
GOD BLESS YOU MANN
I needed this like NO OTHER!
Profound, and so very helpful. Who would have thought that you struggle with what I thought was a personal issue because I was a bad person. Thanks, and God bless you, Father!
Amen! Thank you Fr. Mike!
Just wanted to say thank you for the video and ask for a prayer. It was really helpful! :)
Thanks fr Smith God bless. Just at the right time
I try and set aside time in the morning for intentional prayer. Most mornings I’ll say the rosary. I have a journal used specifically for letters I write to our Heavenly Mother. During the course of the day I have conversations with God. Hard days feel like the conversation is constant in my head. If I go out for a drive I speak out loud to God. It may not be traditional prayer. I go to Him as his child looking for counsel, comfort and love.
Wow, this is so helpful and exactly what I've been struggling with lately.
You have the grace of the Lord, God bless you, you are great.
Thank you Father,..👍
What a clear explanation on the evangelation of prayer....thank you.
Thanks Father Mike
Boy this was helpful! I experienced this battle in the past few days and I praise God for being with me and helping me get through this battle again.