I often find myself distracted when I pray with the Scriptures. How can I use my imagination well in prayer?
St. Teresa of Avila said that, in prayer, we should always begin by encountering the humanity of Christ. To encounter Jesus’ humanity requires spiritually engaging our imagination, yet at times it can feel difficult.
Sometimes this difficulty is due to a physical cause, such as sickness, stress or fatigue. At other times, there may be a spiritual cause, such as hardness of heart, in not wanting to give the Lord full permission to speak into some area of our lives. Yet, increasingly often, people find it difficult to engage the imagination because our imaginations are already saturated with images from other sources — social media, TV shows, video games or novels — and these come to dominate our conscious awareness to the point that we lack the capacity for interior quiet, which is essential to engaging our imagination spiritually.
To better engage your imagination in prayer, here are a few tips. First, notice what is currently dominating your imagination throughout the day. Does this activity foster a spirit of silence and reflection, or a spirit of anxiety, gratification and control? When you engage your imagination in the artwork of another (whether a novel, social media post, article or video), you are letting that person’s mind guide your mind. If their mind is aligned with God’s, they will draw you closer to God. If they are opposed to God, they will draw you further away.
Secondly, note what most distracts you in prayer and brainstorm a way to address those concerns. If it is your “to-do list” for the day, perhaps make the list before prayer, so you are not thinking during prayer of what should go on the list. If it is a problem at work or home, picture yourself giving that problem to Jesus and let Him take if off your hands. It also may be that your distraction is the perfect thing to pray about; your concern for your child can become the topic of prayer rather than a distraction, if you share this concern and invite Jesus to speak into your fear.
Thirdly, make time and space intentionally away from distractions. It’s hard to pray with recollection when your phone is within arm’s reach. Having a space set aside that is your “just me and God place” helps your mind to recognize that it is safe to relax and let your imagination engage differently.
Above all else, persevere! And do not be discouraged when it doesn’t work. Keep up your conviction that prayer is always worthwhile, and be willing to try different approaches to creating a recollected environment. God is worth it!
Father Charlie Archer is associate pastor of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.
