Delaying prayer

[ArmyofTheImmaculata]

Is delaying prayer mortally sinful? I struggle with this a lot. And put prayer off until the last thing at night because I think it makes me anxious to sit down and think about all the problems going on in my life and pray for them. I do say little prayers throughout the day, when passing graveyards, churches, before driving, before meals, for others etc but I always leave my proper prayer till last thing at night and end up putting it off by doing other things first, would this be mortally sinful?

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I think you’re asking the wrong question. Instead is asking if this is a sin, how about asking if this is the kind of relationship you want with God.

Are you happy with a relationship that includes putting off spending time together and then skipping it completely? Or would you like something more than that?

If the answer is that you want more, then how might you achieve it? One thing that comes to mind is to focus on prayer earlier in the day. What are you doing at 7pm each day? Perhaps you could set an alarm to remind you of the time and pray at that time.

 

[Nelka]

Not sinful but think of praying like eating food, would you go hungry al lday and then eat all your meals in one go before bed?

Better to spread them out a bit.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

Two things:

1. There’s so much more to prayer than thinking up all your troubles and asking for help. That’s a tiny fraction of what prayer can and should be. Instead, look into other ways to pray. He already knows your troubles, and I’m sure you’ll have no difficulty thinking of them on your own throughout the day, so why make the anxiety-laden laundry list in the first place? Rather, try a simple, “Lord, you know my needs. In your goodness, grant whatever is good for me in accordance with your will, and give me the grace to handle it.”
2. I wake up at least an extra half hour early each day just to start my day in prayer. We’re supposed to “cast our cares upon Him”, and believe me, a day rooted in prayer is so much better, more peaceful, more liberating than me carrying that baggage inside all day. I can go about my day knowing He’s got this. The tricky thing with that is having the faith and trust that your professed belief is real-world stuff. I’ve struggled with that and learned by experience. I would suggest reading about Divine Providence; St. Theodora Guerin is our archdiocesan co-patron and wrote extensively on the subject.