Layering Prayer Into Your Day #2

Here are some other ideas for “layering” prayer into your day:

--Pick a task you do repeatedly throughout the day and use that as a trigger to pray briefly. For example, whenever you save a document or wash your hands, you can pause for a moment, thanking God for His presence and asking for His direction. This is pretty much the same idea as praying before meals—it just adds more triggers throughout your day.

--Pray as you clean the house. As you enter each new room, whisper a sentence or two about the things associated with that room. For example, pray for each for your children as you tidy their rooms or make their beds. Thank God for His constant provision as you clean the kitchen. Ask God to help you to follow His command not to worry about what to wear as you fold the laundry. You get the idea. Take it from me, it’s not easy to keep praying continuously as I clean, but it’s a lot better than grumbling and complaining my way through the chores.

--Pray when you need to spend money. About two years ago I started to pray every time I walked into the grocery store. Just a few words: Lord, help me to spend responsibly; don’t let me buy more than we need; thank you for providing for us. The first time I prayed this way a really odd thing happened. I went to pick up the first item on my list and a coupon for that item was sitting on top, like someone had decided not to use it and left it there for me. Second item, same thing happened. It happened four or five times throughout the store that day! Other odd things have happened in the two years I’ve been praying about groceries. Most frequently, the store will be out of something I am sure I need and I will get home to find that I already have that item hiding in the back of a cabinet. I’ve been extending that prayer to other types of shopping trips now, especially clothes shopping with my teenage daughter!

--Pray every time you pay a bill. For most of us, paying bills is synonymous with worry. We look at the checkbook or online banking statement and we begin to worry. When you sit down to pay the bills or balance the checkbook, thank God for providing for you, ask Him to direct your spending, pray about any specific financial concerns or just ask Him to help you break the habit of worrying about money. It can be just a 10 second prayer, but if you make it a habit to pray with every bill you pay, you’ll be praying a lot!