We tell ourselves stories all of the time. This starts, unfortunately, at a young age.
- I’m not good at math.
- I don’t have a good attention span.
- I’m not artistic.
- I’m just a messy person at heart.
- I’m not athletic.
- I’m born late for things.
- I’m shy.
The list goes on and on.
We do this in prayer as well although we are seldom aware of it. It’s more subtle. It may look like, “I can’t pray for longer than five minutes” or “I need some noise in the background”, etc.
These are stories and stories can become etched in stone. Or, if we work at it, they can simply be stories that we told ourselves at one point in time.
I’ve been reading Michael and Megan Hyatt’s Mind Your Mindset and I think it’s fantastic. Even better, it applies to our life of prayer.
Their premise: stories are often the narratives that hold us back from real progress. Learn to rewrite your stories and you can take action.
Which stories run through your head when it comes to prayer? For me, they often deal with my ability (or some days, my inability) to focus. At other times, they tell me that I have to live on the surface, afraid of richer depth with the Lord.
Stories are stories. They don’t have to define us and can be left behind. Related to your prayer life, ask God to show you which stories are holding you back from a more whole-hearted surrender to His love and mercy.