Unrealistically, I often think that when I pray, a switch is flipped. Formerly distracted and stressed, I suddenly become wholly focused on the Lord.

As if!

If you’re anything like me, you also turn to God in prayer, only to find that the commitments of “the rest of your life” have tagged along with you. It’s hard to put them on the shelf, even for just a few minutes. Rather, they come with us and that may not be a bad thing.

The next time you head into prayer, take stock of the things you “carry” with you:

what’s stressing you?
what’s on your mind?
how does your body feel?
who is on your mind?

These are the things we carry when we pray. Bring them to God and let Him know about these things. I often tell my kids, “God cares about the things that we care about.” This is certainly true in prayer.