Help Against Prayerlessness

I'm often melted by heaviness. I can't seem to enjoy devotions at all. I can read but to meditate and ponder truths is extremely exhaustive for me. Praying is even more tiring. As soon as I get on my knees I want to get up again. I don't know what to pray and how to do it consistently. There were times of great joy and peace, comfort and solace in these things but now I am extremely miserable. I find my duties more to be a chore and burden than rest. Rather than rest, it feels like it soaks up every drop of energy. I say this even though I do enjoy it, because when I have successful moments its a cause for peace and rejoicing but I fear those a far too few and far between. Any advice?

It's called faithfulness brother or sister! You are not the only one to go through a season like this. We have all been through it but you must be faithful to Him while going through the valley of the shadow of death. (Read Psalms 23)

Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Did you read that? There is a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. PUT ON that garment of praise.

We can pray for you but you are the one who will have to walk this through and make it to the other side with the Holy Spirit. He is with you but He shall be in you!

Also, take it to the shower and cry and pray it out in there. Let the water of the shower wash your tears down the drain.

God bless you,
Lisa

I would highly recommend the devotional "Streams in the Desert.” It is free online.

It more than any other speaks to those who are in the desert.

"And oh! above all, when thy God hides His face, say not that He hath forgotten thee. He is but tarrying a little while to make thee love Him better; and when He cometh, thou shalt have joy in the Lord, and shalt rejoice with joy unspeakable. Waiting exercises our grace; waiting tries our faith; therefore, wait on in hope; for though the promise tarry, it can never come too late.”
--C. H. Spurgeon

Dear William,
I am also going through a similar time.
I will pray for you though it is difficult to pray.
Father God,
Thank You for your love and care.
I lift up your servant William as he has asked for help.
Restore the joy of Your salvation in him.
And give him insight as to what is darkening that joy.
Give us strength to recognize what the enemy of our
souls is up to and fight the good fight and endure. Send him encouragement and help from the Sanctuary.
In the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
we ask
L

This is common experience among the saints. Here's something from T.A. Sparks on the matter;

I am quite sure that I have the agreement of most of the Lord's people when I say that one of the most difficult things, if not the most difficult thing, is to be able to get to prayer and give ourselves to prayer. When we contemplate prayer we meet a host of unsuspected and unforeseen difficulties which suddenly rise up as ambush forces breaking out upon us. Anything to prevent prayer! I am not saying something that you do not know, but I am saying it in order that you may recognize it clearly, definitely and deliberately, and face the fact that it is not just ordinary circumstances, but a designed, well-laid scheme of the enemy to prevent prayer. The enemy, instead of objecting, will promote occupation with a thousand and one things for the Lord if thereby he can crowd out prayer. He does not mind how busy we are in the Lord's work, nor how often we are found preaching, conducting meetings, and doing the many-sided work of the Lord, as we may call it. He knows quite well that all the work for the Lord which is not founded upon triumphant spiritual prayer will count for little or nothing in the long run and will break down.

you can read the full book at http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/001706.html

In Christ,

I know at one time I was trying to use prayer and Bible reading to bring me into the place that Jesus was calling me to.

I believed it would make me purer inside by doing those things and reach the place where I was cured from other things that Jesus had secretly been telling me about. In other words my sins.

I'm only adding my own experience for you. So if it's wrong throw it away.

The Lords calling is for us to be conformed to the image of Jesus. I was trying to do it by prayer and Bible reading. I know it sounds strange. It isn't the complete way and I realized it must take second place to repentance and obedience and following the Lords promptings to obey.

I also had a great fatigue that would come upon me in those times of prayer and Bible reading because I thought I could bypass the sacrifice of obedience in my life. It was the Lord trying to turn me around.

TMK. I see your point and that quote is encouraging. Do you know what it means to wait on God? I read Lamentations 3:25,26 and it brings great refreshment to my soul in meditation upon it. It stirs me up to know that God rewards such. How would you direct someone seeking to wait on God, and wants to come to His Lord for restoration? I'm asking in a practical sense.
Thanks for your time

I can understand what you mean David. I myself thought that I could do many spiritual activities in my own strength, making schedules and adding in my own fleshly designs. I thought that if I read my Bible so many hours a day and pray so many hours a day, waking up early and doing no favor to my body(im 16, and I wasnt eating much). I fell into a kind of asceticism. There was one morning where I tried to copy my Savior in waking up a long time before dawn(a long time) and sitting in my closet for hours and hours. I was trying to recommend myself to God by doing what I thought was good works and earning a salvation. That has to be the only deduction. But we are so evil we will do anything to keep our sins and go to heaven, to earn and work to impress and compel, but not trust and come by the ordinary means of grace.

Thanks for the book Ron. Anything to warm my heart is good.