Dear friends
I don’t think it matters if people get distracted during prayer. Imagine when you are talking to one of your friends, you don’t stare at them and totally focus on them not noticing your surroundings and as they are speaking you think of all sorts of things, however this does not impede your conversations with your friends, nor should it impede your conversations with God, your greatest friend, who knows all about you, your motives and your intentions.
I think to relax and simply place yourself, as you are, in God’s Presence and simply talk to Him in an easy manner will bring about a focus that is natural and when practised over and over again will naturally lead to a more focused conversation with God.
The only time distraction is ever a problem is if it leads to abandonment of prayer, feeling it is all hopeless and no point even trying to pray. If that is the case, try not saying anything at all and let your mind go where it will (without sinning of course!) and just sit in the Presence of God and listen.
It really doesn’t matter if your mind wanders, the Holy Spirit prays within you and aids your prayer. Be sincere in your intentions and no matter if your mind wanders a little during the course of your conversations with God.
To dwell on focusing is not the point nor act of prayer. Moreover to turn the heart, mind and spirit lovingly to God frequently thorughout the day is the most beautiful prayer; frequent rememberance of Him in love and trust.
Don’t worry about focusing, it’ll drive you crazy in the end and ruin your experience of conversation with God. The focus of your prayer becoming how 'focused ’ you are on God and continually assessing your focusing and either being satisfied or discouraged. This is not what prayer is, this is an assessment of prayer, God does not ‘assess’ the prayer as it is always a** perfect prayer** as the Holy Spirit aids and lifts the prayer to Heaven and whatever you utter is most beautiful in by and through the Holy Spirit.
Please forget focusing and just continue as you are in frequent conversation with God without assessing the quality of it…there is no such thing as ‘quality’ of prayer as all prayer is beautiful, as I have said.
The simplest movements of heart, mind and spirit to God are always a ‘perfect prayer’ whether you are distracted or not…this is why prayer is not a human action, but one of God and in, by and through God as gifted to us, we pray. So you see we cannot assess the quality of prayer, it is God the Holy Spirit that raises the pray from within us and makes up for where we are lacking (and we are always lacking), it’s always perfect!
God Bless you and much love and peace to you
Teresa