The biggest key to building a spiritual life is to not overcomplicate it. There are many methods people use to attempt to dive deeper into this aspect of availability, but the one that is most effective is likely the most underutilized — prayer.
Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and most other world religions believe in the power of prayer. Most atheists believe in the power of meditation, which is ultimately believing in the power of prayer. A common problem I've seen surrounding prayer is that people don't fully comprehend what it is. A lot of Christians think of reciting words they've learned since they were young when they think of prayer. Whatever it may be, I think everyone has their own idea of what they believe prayer is and often get trapped within that idea. So before going further, here's how I define it:
Prayer: Communication with a higher power through word, thought, contemplation, action, and emotion.
This simple definition should make it clear that there are many different types of prayer. Much like there are many different forms of communication with other human beings, there are many different types of communication with God. Just as it's important to communicate with other people in different forms at different times, so too is it important to communicate with God in different ways at different times.
Most people start, and end, with word and thought — reciting the Our Father, making requests, verbalizing concerns. That's a great place to start. But it's just the start. The one that's changed my life the most is one most people never even try: prayer through action.
Pray Without Ceasing
St. Paul calls us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). I used to read this verse and think it wasn't meant to be taken literally. There are certain verses from scripture that are meant to have more of a symbolic meaning than a literal meaning, and clearly this is one of those verses. I mean, how can I possibly pray without ceasing and get anything done? Enter prayer through action.
Having worked in the restaurant business — long and unpredictable hours, employees who don't show up, customers who forget the people serving them are, in fact, people and not robots — brought all sorts of challenges to my prayer life. I was working 70-80 hours a week, and by the time I'd sit down to pray, I either found it hard to focus or was too tired to give it my full attention. It was around this time that I discovered the power of praying through action.
When I was in grade school, I'd complain to my teachers. "I'm bored." "I don't feel well." "I don't like school; I want to go home." No matter the "problem," I remember the words of my 4th grade teacher: Offer it up. I hated hearing that. She was telling me she didn't want to hear my excuses, and if I didn't like it, offer the class up in prayer for the good of someone else. I didn't know it at the time, but it was great advice — advice that would shape my spiritual life through college, the restaurant business, and to this day.
I started offering things up in college, as a starting pitcher at Radford University. I made prayer part of my warmup routine before every inning. I'd throw five to eight warm-up pitches, then take a knee behind the mound. I'd start with a Hail Mary, then offer that inning up for a special intention — a struggling teammate, an end to abortion, my mom so she could relax while watching me pitch. At first I thought I was doing a favor for whoever or whatever I was praying for. That's true, and I believe wholeheartedly in the power of praying for one another — but that's not what I found to be the most powerful part. I found that when I offered my innings up for something near and dear to my heart, I became a better pitcher. My determination, competitiveness, and focus on the mound were always through the roof. If I was offering this inning for my struggling teammate, what kind of teammate would I be if I offered a half-hearted prayer? NO! I was going to offer up the best prayer possible. That attitude increased my performance and gave me a much deeper sense of purpose for what I was doing.
I've carried that into the workplace ever since. Like anyone, there are parts of my work I can't stand — things I know are important but that bore me to tears. In those moments especially, I go back to my teacher's advice: I offer it up. I offer the task I don't like for a special intention, and in that moment I'm transformed. More peace. More energy. More diligence.
As I kept offering actions in prayer, I wanted more, so I found more ways to do it. I always wear a watch — I feel naked without one — so I put it to good use. I set an alarm to go off at the top of every hour: ten beeps, five seconds. That was just enough time to center myself and take a deep breath. After the beeping stopped, I'd take ten more seconds to offer my next hour up for a special intention. Some days every hour was different; other days I'd offer the whole day up for one thing. This exercise changed the way I lived my life. My life became a prayer for specific intentions — more peace, more joy, more love in my heart than ever before, and more diligence in my work than ever before.
This is what St. Paul meant by praying without ceasing. When I do this, I'm a better person through and through. When I don't, I slack and grow restless. Take his advice: pray without ceasing.
