The Work of Prayer

Could you not watch one hour with Me?  Matthew 26:40
Many years ago, when I was initially baptized in the Holy Spirit, I was praying about how much time God wanted me to give to prayer. After some time, this passage from Scripture stood out for me as my answer.
  The Holy Spirit may have a different answer for you--perhaps even longer! Over the years my hour of prayer has developed a pattern; not exactly the same each day, but including praise, spiritual warfare, surrender, repentance, quiet time, intercessions, petitions and thanksgiving.
  I have learned that prayer is a ministry; and a job. I don't always feel like praying. It's not always rewarding, although most of the time it is. Often I doze off, especially if I'm short on sleep. But like any other ministry or job, it's what God calls us to. Not just me, but every Christian.
  Setting aside time for prayer is not an option; it's not "if I have time left in my day". It's a priority!  Because I am a morning person by nature, it's my first job of the day. If you are a night person, it's a little more difficult to set aside time to pray at the end of a busy day. There's always the temptation to relax or watch TV. On my "To Do" list, it takes first place. Some people have their prayer time during their morning commute or in the car while driving. This never worked for me since I am a very meditative person and would find myself veering off the road! But for some people it works.
  There's no excuse for not setting aside time to pray. When my children were small (and up very early) I had my prayer time very early in the morning before they woke. People who work outside the home can often find time to pray on their lunch hour. If there's no quiet place in your home, there are always churches or chapels open. If you have small children, naptime might be a good time.
  There's always the temptation to put off prayer time. Or to say to yourself "my service to my family or to others is my prayer." But there's no substitute for setting aside a specific time to pray.
  Of course, setting aside a specific prayer time is not the only time we should pray. We can read a devotional while we're eating. When someone comes to mind, we can pray for them. We can say the rosary or attend services at church. St. Paul said "Rejoice always, never cease praying, render constant thanks; such is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17.
   We should always be ready to pray; for others, for ourselves. To always be listening for the voice of the Holy Spirit within us--guiding us, leading us, showing us how to pray and who to pray for. This is God's Will for everyone.