Problems and Solutions in Prayer

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Problems and Solutions in Prayer

• Problem 1 Time
• The first and hardest thing is taking the time
  and doing prayer.
• It is an activity that we must engage in. It does
  not just happen to us.
• Cookbook analogy
• This problem never goes away.
• Solution

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Problems and Solutions in Prayer

• Problem 2 Excuses
• Exercise analogy
• Unlimited number of things we could be doing
• You dont feel like it before or during, but when
  youre done you know youve done something good.
• Even if it is a valid excuse, it does not make it
  a good excuse.
• Solution

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Problems and Solutions in Prayer

• Problem 3 Afraid to pray
• Sin and guilt
• God is a killer, says sin. And its right!
• God wants to kill the cancer of sin.
• Remember God came to call sinners, not the
  righteous.
• Solution

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Problems and Solutions in Prayer

• Problem 4 Boring
• This is a lie!
• Feelings vs. Reality (What is true)
• Satan can manipulate our feelings but he cannot
  manipulate reality because God, who is Truth, is
  the author of reality.
• Solution

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Problems and Solutions in Prayer

• Problem 1 Time
• The first and hardest thing is taking the time
  and doing prayer.
• It is an activity that we must engage in. It does
  not just happen to us.
• Cookbook analogy
• This problem never goes away.
• Solution
• Just do it!
• Make time.
• The solution is to pray!

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Problems and Solutions in Prayer

• Problem 2 Excuses
• Exercise analogy
• Unlimited number of things we could be doing
• You dont feel like it before or during, but when
  youre done you know youve done something good.
• Even if it is a valid excuse, it does not make it
  a good excuse.
• Solution
• Pray!!

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Problems and Solutions in Prayer

• Problem 3 Afraid to pray
• Sin and guilt
• God is a killer, says sin. And its right!
• God wants to kill the cancer of sin.
• Remember God came to call sinners, not the
  righteous.
• Solution
• PRAY!!
• Remember Do not be afraid.
• Turning back to God is a prayer. Just do it!

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Problems and Solutions in Prayer

• Problem 4 Boring
• This is a lie!
• Feelings vs. Reality (What is true)
• Satan can manipulate our feelings but he cannot
  manipulate reality because God, who is Truth, is
  the author of reality.
• Solution
• PRAY!!!!!
• Focus on reality not your feelings.

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The problem with the solution

• Pray! Just do it!
• Its simple but not easy.
• We complicate things, so remember, Whenever you
  start giving excuses for anything (or are afraid,
  or dont have the time, or think its boring),
  thats the time to start doing the thing youre
  giving excuses for not doing. Peter Kreeft

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Shut Up and Pray Ceili Rain

• You got me rockin', nothin' but rockin'You got
  me searchin for something that isn'tJust the
  same old, same old thingYou wanna party, have a
  big partyI need a ticket, and on that ticket it
  willSay "So who'd you bring?"I brought him and
  her and him and herAnd Bill and Buddy and
  RayAnd they're all ears and we're all earsFor
  what you have to sayYou say- Pray, pray prayFor
  everything you're worthPray, pray pray- for
  wisdom on the earthListen to Me- while I- while
  I- while ISay say say- shut up prayHang on a
  minute, a doggone minuteHow bout the shoutin',
  screamin' and hollerin'That Your meek people
  do?If they can do it, I'm gonna do itCan't stop
  me, Motor Mouth Bobby gonnaGet his message
  throughJust like him her him herAnd Bill
  Buddy and RayBut did they talk and did we
  talkToo loud to hear You say?You say- Pray,
  pray prayFor everything you're worthPray, pray
  pray- for wisdom on the earthListen to Me- while
  I- while I- while ISay say say- shut up
  prayHey wait a- but if ya- just lemmeIm gonna-
  I need ta- Please lemmeI brought him and her
  and him and herAnd Bill and Buddy and RayAnd
  they're all ears and we're all earsFor what you
  have to sayYou say- Pray, pray prayFor
  everything you're worthPray, pray pray- for
  wisdom on this earthListen to Me- while I- while
  I- while ISay say say- shut up pray

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Other problems in prayer

• Distractions
• Lack of faith
• Reciting words without meaning
• Lack of habit
• What solutions can you come up with?

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Aids to Prayer

1. Time Management
2. Silence
3. Posture
4. Environment
5. Focus on the Word
6. Prayerful people
7. Sacramentals
8. Icons

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Time Management

• Stewardship of time
• Time is a gift, do you use it wisely?
• Advice Set a time that works for you. Remember
  that you have to make time, it wont just happen.
• Some people find time to pray in the evening and
  some in the morning. Our sentiments are different
  at these times. The heart will know a time for
  both.
• Can you pray any time?

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Silence

• The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit
  on a porch swing with, never say a word, then
  walk away feeling like it was the best
  conversation that you ever had.
• Orson Welles
• We struggle with silence a lot. Silence makes us
  uncomfortable generally speaking. Maybe we dont
  get enough of it? Maybe were scared to be alone
  with God? Maybe were scared to be alone with
  ourselves?
• Advice the quiet helps minimize distractions, so
  seek out silence and learn to appreciate it

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Posture

• Standing
• Reverence and respect, joy, thanksgiving, or
  praise
• Sitting
• Meditation, rest, and openness
• Kneeling
• A gesture of humility, penance, piety, or
  adoration
• Prostration
• Submission and vulnerability
• Offering everything to God

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Environment

• Can you pray anywhere?
• Whats special about Churches?
• Whats Eucharistic Adoration all about?
• But when you pray, go to your inner room, close
  the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And
  your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
  -Mt 66
• Our environment affects us for better or worse.
• Advice be aware of the effects of your
  environment and make it as conducive to prayer as
  possible.

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Focus on the Word
Lectio Divina divine reading
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Prayerful People

• Surrounding yourself with prayerful people can be
  a very encouraging thing.
• We are social by nature, meaning, we are meant to
  interact with one another.
• Advice The family that prays together, stays
  together. Prayer forms lasting bonds.
• For where two or three are gathered together in
  my name, there am I in the midst of them. Mt
  1820

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Sacramentals

• Definition sacred signs which bear a resemblance
  to the sacraments which
• 1. prepare us to receive sacraments
• 2. make occasions of life holy
• 3. always include a prayer, often with a specific
  sign

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Sacramentals
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Icons Good Art?
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Prayer Kits!
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Aids to PrayerChoose 3 of the following 8 and
describe how they have helped or should help your
prayer life to a person next to you.

1. Time Management
2. Silence
3. Posture
4. Environment
5. Focus on the Word
6. Prayerful people
7. Sacramentals
8. Icons

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