Why praying 5 minutes is better than no minutes
Do you think you pray enough? I’ve met a few pastors who do, but most say, “I shouldpray more…”
Here are four thoughts on prayer for leaders:
1. Prayer is crucial to sustaining servant leadership. You can’t be a spiritual leader without it. You’ll quickly find yourself caught up in your ego without a regular check-in with God.
2. Praying out of a sense of obligation is not life-giving, and
3. Feeling guilty because you are not praying is also not life-giving.
A friend told me her church had an overnight prayer vigil Maundy Thursday night. She signed up for 3 a.m., and went to the church and prayed for two hours. My first reaction was to feel inadequate. I’m not sure I’ve ever prayed consciously for two hours straight in my life.
But on reflection, I’m grateful there are people who are called to this type of prayer ministry, clergy and laity. I know I am not. But I am called to pray, for my own ministry and for others. That’s why I pray every day for at least five minutes (and sometimes more, if not for two hours).
4. Five minutes of prayer can help sustain your spiritual leadership and give you life.
Is five minutes of prayer really enough? I’m not sure, but I am sure that five minutes of prayer is better than no minutes. I told a colleague recently that if every minister prayed for at least five minutes, the church would be a different place. But that may get too much into obligation…
One model for daily prayer
Here’s what I do most days, and sometimes it takes only five minutes:
• Read a few verses of scripture.
• Write down five things from the day before that I’m thankful for and give thanks overall for the riches (literal and metaphorical) in my life.
• Reflect on the day ahead and ask God for clarity about what I want and ought to do for the day.
• Pray for those I love the most.I’ve stopped asking for specifics for them, and I mention their names to God, trusting God knows what they need more than I do.
• Pray for those in need, including a list of folks I pray for daily.For my book Leaders Who Last, I interviewed The Rev. Todd Miller, who told me he prays for five people from his church directory daily. I love that practice—you pray for those you love and for those you have trouble with, those who love you and those who have difficulty with you. You can pray for the ability to serve even those who challenge you.
• Pray for those in positions of responsibility.I’ve prayed for the president by name for 20 years, no matter their party or policies. I also pray for the pastors I serve in my coaching ministry and other faith leaders I know or know of.
• Read something brief from a devotional book.I’m using Celtic Daily Prayer, which has daily scriptures and devotional readings. Find the online version of their daily prayer here.
If you want to be a servant leader, find a way to pray that works for you and do it!
Photo source: istock
More on Prayer
- Prayer in the workplace (by WorkLife Success)
- But can you heal my boy? (by )
- 4 ideas for enhancing your church’s prayer ministry (by Terry Powell)
- If My People (by Richard Blackaby)
