Creatures of Habit: Prayer Sample

Prayer: The Hunger of The Habit 

Small decisions - repeated over time - have big results. 

Great athletes understand that the food they eat fuels their performance. Have you ever wondered how an athlete sticks to their diet? Or how they curb a sweet tooth? Better yet, how they master those cravings in such a way that they actually begin to desire the right fuel over those indulgences?

The right food fuels your body and produces better results. When repeated over time, this has a compounding effect. This effect makes the results easier to see. When we get results, we begin to hunger for whatever fuels the results. This is why high performers track their progress. There is a momentum to making the right choice.

The same is true spiritually.

What if the best way to increase our hunger for prayer, is simply to pray more?

Jesus hungered for prayer. More than 40 times in the Gospels we see Jesus withdraw to pray. Luke notes that Jesus often withdrew to pray (5:16). In fact, prayer proceeds some of the biggest ministry moments in Jesus’ life. He is alone praying before walking on water (John 6:15), before choosing his disciples (Luke 6:12), before teaching his disciples to pray (Luke 11:1), before the transfiguration (Luke 9:28), before multiplying the fish and loaves (Luke 9:16), and before traveling throughout Galilee to preach and perform miracles (Mark 1:35-38). And to prepare for the most critical moment of his life, facing the cross, Jesus was repeatedly seeking the Lord in prayer (Matthew 26:36-45).

Prayer was the fuel for Jesus’ ministry and life. He craved connecting with the Father in prayer. The results are obvious.

If you are looking to build your hunger for prayer, it starts with…praying! Consistently. The more you pray, the more you will hunger for prayer and its’ blessings. Prayer is the fuel for a connected and hope-filled life. And like a high performing athlete, track it. Write down your prayers and rejoice at how God moves in your life. Your hunger for prayer will grow over time! “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8a NIV).

• What is a small decision you can make today regarding your habit of prayer?
• How can you begin to keep track of your prayers? 

Read about two examples of Jesus’ hunger for prayer in Luke 6:12-16 and Matthew 26:36-45.