The Desert Father Abba Agathon once said, "Prayer is warfare to the last breath."
Wow!
At first, that sounds a bit dramatic. We hear "warfare" and imagine demons lurking behind every pew. But Agathon's point was related to something much simpler and much closer to home. He said that about prayer because he was asked, "Which virtue requires the greatest effort?"
Well, have you ever noticed how easy it is to do almost anything except pray?
You sit down, ready to pray. Suddenly, that's your mind's chance to bring up an email, a conversation from three years ago, the grocery list, or that strange noise the car made yesterday. The moment you turn toward God, a thousand other things fight for your attention.
So, how in the world do we do what the apostle Paul tells us when he says to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17)? Truth be told, I can understand Jesus’ disciples falling asleep after he tells them to "keep awake and pray" (Matthew 26:41). Prayer isn't always easy. But prayer is essential.
To be sure, prayer is not primarily about getting God to do something. Prayer is learning to remain in the life of God. It is returning again and again to the One in whom we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).
That is why prayer feels like a struggle. Every other force wants to pull us away from communion with God.
But be assured, the goal of prayer is not perfect concentration. Keep the goal of prayer faithfulness. When your mind wanders, just return. No shame. No worries. Even when your heart feels cold, return. Or when you can’t find the words, return.
Prayer is warfare because it is a struggle to remain awake to God’s presence. The world teaches us to live distracted, isolated, and self-reliant. Prayer teaches us to live as people who are sustained by grace.
Stay blessed...john
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