In a popular animated movie one of the characters is a dog with a high-tech collar that puts a human voice to what the dog is communicating. Every time the dog is “talking” he randomly gets distracted by an animal in the distance. Midsentence, he’ll snap his head to the side and yell, “Squirrel!” before returning to the conversation with his owner. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, it has become a joke to interject, “Squirrel!” to someone whose attention gets unexpectedly diverted for almost no reason.
The phenomenon is especially conspicuous in young children. In the middle of a sentence their eyes begin to adjust focus while their voice simultaneously slows and fades. While, perhaps, not as obvious, this is not exclusive to children. Unfortunately, it is unusually common in adults when it comes to prayer. In fact, distraction may be one of its most significant barriers. Daniel Henderson, author of multiple books on prayer, put it this way, “The Devil does not need to defeat you, just distract you.” Ouch.
There are two ways in which distraction is the enemy of prayer. The first is the kind that keeps you from praying at all. Note the intensity of the accusation in this psalm.
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. (Ps. 53:1–2)
The final charge against those who practice “abominable iniquity” is that they fail to seek after God. That is repeated in Romans 3:11, “No one understands. No one seeks for God.” In Isaiah 31 the Israelites are roundly criticized because, in their plight, they did not seek the Lord. In Zephaniah 1:6 they are rebuked because they failed to “seek the Lord or inquire of Him.” In Hosea 5:15 God sent affliction so that their distress might drive them to “earnestly seek” Him.
The seriousness of failing to seek God in prayer cannot be overstated. God wants you to take your hardships, sufferings and concerns to Him. He expects His children to humbly communicate with Him, so anything that prohibits you from engaging in meaningful prayer is more than a distraction, it’s a ruse. It is a tactic to draw you away from an intimate exchange with your Heavenly Father. Don’t let your calendar, emails, social media, fatigue or anything else tempt you to sacrifice your prayer time. James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” The “great power” part is only a factor when there is prayer at work!
The second way that distractions are a problem is during prayer. Avoiding distractions in the midst of prayer is a constant challenge. I once took a college class in which I was the only student (and it wasn’t virtual). I had to force myself to remain focused on the professor throughout the entirety of his lecture. Any wandering thoughts would be immediately apparent, much like a distracted child. It took all I had to discipline my eyes and mind to remain engaged with the instructor. It continued to be work, but to my surprise it got easier as we continued to meet.
Likewise, prayer is a discipline. As noted, it requires discipline to make it happen at all, but it also requires discipline to ensure that the time is meaningful. Praying to God is not like listening to a professor, it is an opportunity to pour your heart out to a Father that loves you. You get to adore Him, confess your sins to Him, thank Him and present your requests to Him. He is worthy of your full attention.
Another thing Henderson said about prayer is that the Devil uses “weapons of mass distraction.” Take measures to keep from being distracted during your prayer time. Turn off alerts on your phone or computer, close the door or pray out loud if that helps. Pray that you will pray without distraction. Discipline your mind to remain engaged. In short, take your prayer seriously. When you talk to God, do it like you mean it.
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. (Col. 4:2)