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To You, Lord, I lift up my soul. My God, in You I trust (Psalm 25:1-2a, NASB).
Our minds think 50,000 thoughts a day. Sometimes, I think most of those happen when I’m praying.
I sit in my “devotion” chair, read my Bible, then begin praying, and my mind begins to wander. True confession — I’ve also fallen asleep while praying. Perhaps I’m not saved — at least I used to feel guilty, but I take “mind wandering” as a part of praying now.
In the early centuries, monks would forsake everything to live rough lives in the desert. They were called the “Desert Fathers” for their piety, meditation, and learned ways of praying. I then read a scholar saying these ancient saints reported “wandering minds” during their prayers.
I felt much better, relieved from guilt, in fact! For many years now, I’ve used my “wandering mind” to enhance my prayers. What? How is this possible? I use the following approach. . .
- Whenever my mind wanders, I don’t dwell in prayer-quenching guilt. Instead, I repeat Psalm 25:1-2a several times: “Right now, Lord, I’m lifting my soul to you. God, in You I trust.” Psalm 25 was the first Psalm I memorized, and the first verse of this chapter has an anti-mind wandering effect in my prayers.
- I practice mindfulness. Prayers release anxiety, lust, and concerns, but also new ideas, visions, and convictions. Our dreams at night result from our minds wandering without restraint. And I believe praying causes this same release from the purely rational. In the Bible, God often speaks to His people in dreams, and I find that my “mind wanderings” during prayer also indicate areas of struggle, conviction, and new directions.
- Ask for a revelation. Accepting that my mind will wander during prayer and that these wanderings can be windows examining the anxieties of my soul or glimpsing potential inspiration in future decisions, I repeat Psalm 25, “God, I lift up my soul (mind, will, and emotions) to you.” Please reveal why I’m thinking this thought.
- Be still for an hour. Psalm 46:10 (NIV) reads, “Be still and know that I am God.” I don’t think this verse means emptying the mind of all thoughts. It means sitting the physical body down for an hour. We can’t stop our minds from wandering, but we can sit for an hour. During this hour allow your mind to wander, verbalize your thoughts as they arise, and ask God for wisdom and discernment as to their meaning.
Do this thought after thought after thought — it will take an hour — but eventually, your mind will relax, and then read Psalm 25 entirely, asking God to speak to your soul.
I’ve found Psalm 25 to be the most helpful chapter in the Bible for our wandering minds. The Psalm gives the following promises to distressed and wandering souls. . .
- Lead me in your truth and teach me (v. 5a).
- Do not remember the sins of my youth or my wrongdoings (v. 7a).
- You will instruct me in the way that I should choose. Because of Your guidance, My soul will dwell in prosperity (v. 12b-13a).
- The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses (v. 17).
- Let integrity and uprightness protect me, for I wait for You (v. 21).
Amen. Let our minds wander into the goodness of God!