So that you can pray

Today, I'll share with you a verse that has been a great challenge to me. Perhaps you will find a challenge in it as well.

1 Peter 4:7 -

“The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (NIV)

“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” (ESV)

This exhortation is especially challenging to me because of the phrase “clear minded”. Do you ever find it difficult to be clear minded? Living in the culture we do, with myriad opportunities and distractions available to us, how is it even possible to be clear minded? This is a great struggle for me. I am someone who likes to dabble. A hobbyist in general; I like to try everything. There are so many wonderful things in creation to test out and to become mediocre at - which I do. I am also a person whose mind contains gears that are always running. I wake up in the morning and my brain is instantly whirring. So the idea of having a clear mind is a very inviting one, even if it sometimes feels out of reach.

I find that to achieve a clear mind, I have to focus on it. Typically, meditation works best for me. I use a technique I learned from my naturopathic doctor. She advised me to close my eyes, sit in a relaxed position, and to imagine all my thoughts floating by like boats on the water. Rather than letting any one thought grab a hold of my mind, I need to acknowledge each one and let it float by, in and out of my view. She also recommended taking one word or thought and focusing on that. So as I watch my thoughts float by, I imagine far out in the distance that I see the light of Jesus. I imagine that he is standing there in his radiance, noticing me and loving me. I will sometimes think or utter the word “Jesus” repeatedly to keep my focus.

Even 5 minutes of that kind of activity will calm the mind to some degree. The only problem is, I have a hard time getting into a place where I can focus like that. 5 minutes isn't very long, but sometimes there aren't 5 quiet minutes in my house to meditate, with small kids ever present. Many of you who are parents know what I mean.

One other trick I have employed is to align my focus from the get go each day. When I wake up, I try to make God my first thought. I try to send up prayers of worship, acknowledging his sovereignty. I think through verses like Lamentations 3:22-23:

“Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (NIV)

I think that self-control is a discipline that Peter knew to empower clear mindedness. The two go hand in hand to prepare an adequate mental state for prayer. We have all experienced at some point the loss of focus during prayer. Maybe we've even become drowsy or fallen completely asleep. Maybe our minds turn toward everyt other issue in our lives, taking our mind away from those moments with God. I don't think the self-control here needs to refer only to clearing our mind for prayer. Rather, I think it beckons us to a day-to-day lifestyle of self-control in all things, so that when we settle into a time of prayer, we are already well-practiced and acquainted with self-control.

How many times have we offered half-baked prayers because we lacked a clear mind and/or self-control? Thank God for his mercy.

But, this verse ought to remind us of the urgency with which we need to focus. Scot McKnight writes:

“Thinking that the end of history is at the door and the Judge is about to enter through it can energize one's prayers and lead to a specially effective focus in those prayers. “ (The NIV Application Commentary: 1 Peter. Zondervan, 1996.)

Like Peter, we should remember that this life on earth, from a perspective of eternity, is coming quickly to a close. Every minute, we draw nearer to that time when we will stand before God in judgment. Oh, how wonderful to receive words of joy and glory from him at that time!

Peter knew how easy it was to have a mind full of distractions. He knew that the mind is easily filled with endless streams of running thoughts. He knew how difficult it is to focus, and how easy it is to approach the sacred practice of prayer with only half-hearted attentiveness. How would he react if he could see the world today? In this light, my own constant failure is quite stark before my eyes.

Let us continue disciplining ourselves in lives of clear mindedness and self-control, so that we can pray. Holy Spirit, help us.