Prayer, an activity which seems so simple in theory, is often anything but simple. In fact, it remains a constant difficulty for most of us. If we’re honest, the difficulty arises because prayer feels like a waste of time. We live in a society in which inactivity and inefficiency are deadly sins. And since prayer feels inefficient for many of us, we begin to question its value. When we fail to see visible and tangible results to our prayers, we can grow discouraged and lose heart. Consequently, we begin praying less and less, until eventually we find ourselves not praying at all.
If you find yourself struggling in this area (and who among us doesn't?), I would strongly recommend Paul Miller's A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World. Another book I would recommend is D.A. Carson's A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers. I have found them both to be very helpful and practical resources.
