Closing the Prayer Gap: Moving from Belief to Practice

We all know the feeling of the "prayer gap." If you were to walk into any church this Sunday

and ask for a show of hands on who believes prayer is powerful, every hand would go up. We know it is the lifeline of the soul. We know it is how we communicate with the Creator of the universe. Yet, if we are being honest, most of us find that our actual time spent in prayer rarely matches the weight of our belief.

It is one of the great ironies of modern Christian life. We value prayer, we respect prayer, and we ask others for prayer, but we struggle to actually pray.

This isn't because we don't care. It’s often because we have treated prayer like a mystical talent you either have or you don't, rather than what it actually is: a spiritual discipline that requires practice. Just as a would-be runner doesn't start their training by running a full marathon, a "prayer warrior" isn't made overnight. If we want to bridge the gap between our intentions and our actions, we have to stop waiting for the "feeling" of prayer and start building the habit.

The Myth of the Spiritual Expert

One of the biggest hurdles to a consistent prayer life is the idea that prayer is reserved for "spiritual experts." We look at people who can pray for an hour with eloquence and assume they have a special gift we lack.

But as Dr. Chuck Lawless, this week’s guest on the Spiritually Fit Today podcast, reminds us, prayer is not about performance. It is about a relationship of total dependence. When Dr. Lawless first became a pastor at the age of 20, he didn't have all the answers. In fact, he felt completely over his head. That sense of inadequacy was not a barrier to his ministry; it was the very thing that drove him to his knees.

When we realize we are "rookies" in the hands of a Master, prayer becomes less of a chore and more of a necessity. You don't need a theology degree to talk to God. You just need a heart that recognizes it cannot handle the day alone.

Building Your Spiritual Reps

If you want to get physically fit, you don't just think about the gym; you go and do the reps. Spiritual fitness works the same way. The reason many of us fail in our prayer lives is that we set unrealistic goals. We try to go from zero minutes of prayer a day to thirty minutes of deep intercession. When we inevitably get distracted or bored after five minutes, we feel like failures and give up.

Instead of aiming for a marathon, start with "spiritual reps."

The Three-Minute Momentum Try setting aside just three minutes. It sounds small, but three minutes of focused, intentional conversation with God is better than thirty minutes of a wandering mind. Use these small windows throughout your day to build the "muscle" of devotion.

●     Morning: One minute to hand over your schedule to God.

●     Lunch: One minute to thank Him for His provision.

●     Evening: One minute to reflect on where you saw His grace.

These small choices, made one day at a time, are what eventually close the gap. Consistency beats intensity every single time.

Overcoming the Distraction Barrier

We live in a world designed to keep us from being "watchful and thankful," as Colossians 4:2 commands. Our phones, our to-do lists, and even our own internal noise act as a ceiling that makes our prayers feel like they are bouncing back at us.

To overcome this, we must tie our prayer life back to the Word of God. Prayer and Bible study are two sides of the same coin. When we read the Word, we see God as a personal God who speaks. When we pray, we are responding to that voice. If you feel like you are praying to the ceiling, pick up the Scriptures. Remind yourself who you are talking to. You are speaking to the God who parted the sea, who healed the blind, and who welcomes you into His presence with open arms.

Why What You Do Today Matters

The goal of prayer isn't just to get through a list of requests. The goal is to become the kind of person who is constantly aware of God's presence. Every time you choose to pray when you’d rather scroll through social media, you are winning a small battle. Every time you turn a moment of anxiety into a moment of petition, you are getting spiritually fit.

Don't wait until your life is perfect to start praying. Don't wait until you feel "holy" enough. Prayer is the means by which we become holy. It is for people like you and me, people who want to know God, follow Jesus, and fight the battles that really matter today.

A Final Encouragement If you have felt distant from God lately, remember that His mercy is new every morning. You don't have to catch up on all the prayers you missed. You just have to start today.

Reader FAQ

Q1: Why is it so hard to stay focused when I pray? 

A: Our minds are conditioned for constant stimulation. Prayer is a quiet, singular focus that feels "boring" to our brains at first. Like any exercise, focus is a muscle you build over time through short, consistent periods of practice.

Q2: Does God really care about the small things in my life? 

A: Yes. If it matters to you, it matters to your Father. Approaching God with the "small things" is actually a great way to practice constant dependence on Him throughout your day.

Q3: What if I don't feel anything when I pray? 

A: Faith is not a feeling; it is a commitment. Some of the most powerful prayers in the Bible were prayed in moments of deep darkness and emotional dryness (e.g. Psalm 51; Matthew 26:36-46). God is listening even when you can't feel His presence.

Q4: How do I know if God is answering me? 

A: Answers often come through the peace He gives us, the wisdom we find in the Bible, or the circumstances He opens and closes. Staying grounded in Scripture helps you recognize His "voice" and direction more clearly.

References & Links

Sources & Further Reading

●     The Potential and Power of Prayer by Dr. Chuck Lawless

●     Colossians 4:2 - "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."

Next Steps

●     Learn more: Get started with daily spiritual workouts at https://backtothebible.org/

●     Contact us: We would love to pray with you. Reach out at https://backtothebible.org/contact

P.S. If you have a comment or prayer request, contact me here: or call me and leave a message at 1-800-811-2387. And be sure to join me tomorrow through Friday on our new podcast Spiritually Fit Today.