Distractions in Prayer

[elizabeth211]

I have been dealing with many distractions in my prayer life due to a guy who I am interested in. He is a wonderful, Catholic man, and he is not doing anything to draw me away from the Lord. However, I am just naturally attracted to him and find myself wanting to spend all my time with him when I know it should be spent in prayer. When I do try to pray, my thoughts often come back to thoughts of him. How should I go about dealing with these distractions?

 

[oldgraymare2]

Hi elizabeth,

Keep praying anyway. Just pray through the distractions, and offer them up to the Lord. That is what I do when my mind starts wandering. I offer my imperfections up and I tell the Lord that I am sorry that I cannot focus–for whatever reason–and then I just do my best to return to my prayers.

 

[Auntie_A]

Women especially can have this distraction built in since we were made for raising children, and you shouldn’t tune out a screaming baby. So naturally a mind can and will wander. Just keep realizing you are human. Your mind wanders to someone you care about. The goal is not to be perfect but to get closer to God.

There are many ways to reach for God. Loving a good man would be a good way. But learn how to keep God higher than any human relationship. Do not love anyone more than God.

Keep praying and when your mind drifts, just bring it back to God, over and over again, no judgment. Don’t you think God, our Parent, understands when His children’s minds wander, just as a human parent understands when their child’s little mind wanders?

 

[po18guy]

You are called to love the Lord Jesus Christ more than you love anything or anyone else. Distractions occur, and will occur, but if you consciously call your spirit back to focus on the Lord, you are spending your time wisely. Some have said that you are praying well if all you do in prayer is call your mind back to the Lord from constant interruptions.

 

[SnowAngels]

I have been dealing with many distractions in my prayer life due to a guy who I am interested in. He is a wonderful, Catholic man, and he is not doing anything to draw me away from the Lord. However, I am just naturally attracted to him and find myself wanting to spend all my time with him when I know it should be spent in prayer. When I do try to pray, my thoughts often come back to thoughts of him. How should I go about dealing with these distractions?

Hello!
I can relate to being distracted during prayer, and thinking of other people when I should be praying. I have good days where it is super easy to focus, and days when I feel like I am reciting the Rosary instead of praying the Rosary. Ironically, the thing I have found that helps the most is praying! Why not suggest praying with this man? That way, you’d be putting your affection together and sending it up to God? I will say a prayer for you tonight that it goes well!

• SnowAngels