One of my friends got me into something called “Common Prayer”. I know, this must sound about as nerdy as it gets. Instead of getting into Game of Thrones or Tiger King, I got into common prayer. But I want to share with you what I love about it.

Confession time: I sometimes (read: more than sometimes) struggle to pray. It’s not because I don’t believe God is listening or because I don’t have anything to pray for (just look at the world around us!). Sometimes I just get stuck. Perhaps you know what I’m talking about.

I once read that prayer is like any other kind of exercise. The more you practice prayer, the easier it is to pray again. But if it’s been a while, you might want to start with the small weights. (Is everyone tracking with my metaphor?)

Common prayer is like the small weights for me. It provides a structure which helps me to pray. It’s called “common” not because it’s simple (although it is) but because it is shared in common with other believers around the world. I use an app to access the common prayers, but there is also a web version. Each day has morning, midday, and evening prayers. They include scripture readings, familiar prayers, and space to hold your own prayers, for others, yourself, and the whole world.

For today’s devotional, your challenge is to try the common prayer wherever you are. All you will need is your computer (or phone) and a Bible. If it is morning, use the morning prayer. If it is midday, try the midday prayer. If it is evening, well… you know what to do! Each option should take about 10-15 minutes. It has amazed me to see how much strength it gives me to take these minutes in my day and pray. What a powerful reminder that God is always with us!

And when you are praying, know that you have friends praying with you.

Veronica