Take a second and think about your prayer life.

How’s it going? Do you find plenty of time for daily prayer, or do you sometimes rush through a busy day and barely spend a quality moment with God?

Our lives are full of endless tasks, meetings, and activities, most of which make it on our calendars or to-do lists.

Do you schedule one-on-one meetings with God?

I know, it feels weird to plan out something as beautiful and spiritual as prayer. Prayer should just happen naturally, right?

But if it doesn’t happen naturally, or if you don’t intentionally make time for focused prayer, what’s at stake? Many of us can attest to the fact that the strength of our prayer life often directly correlates with our emotional strength as we navigate the daily challenges of life.

Our Lord lived here on earth way before smartphones and e-mails, but he still knew what it was like to feel the pressure of others’ demands. And yet, he knew what he had to do to make sure that even he got his “God time” in each day. “Crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:15,16).

Even with a lot going on, Jesus intentionally fit in his alone time with God. If the benefits of prayer were worth the effort for Jesus, they are certainly worth our effort as well.