Time of Prayer

[John Henry]

Some people pray something like 5 seconds, 1 minute. Why is that?

[Doll]

Pardon?

If you're asking how long a prayer has to be to count as a prayer, I think a prayer can be any length. One word, or hours and hours, God is still listening.

[John Henry]

Yes, look at the Pharisee & Publican - The Pharisee prayed longer, but which prayer did God accept? Yet, our Lord rebukes the disciples, for not even watching & praying for an hour. So, it depends on how the Holy Spirit leads us. But, I don't think we should pray only 1 minute every day.

[Eleventh Doctor]

I don't think anyone is suggesting only praying for a minute a day

[John Henry]

Some children pray (all the time) only 5-30 seconds when they ever pray.

[Eleventh Doctor]

Because they're children, they are learning to pray, give them a break.

[John Henry]

What if they are 5th & 6th graders.

[Eleventh Doctor]

Then yeah, probably time to develop more of a prayer life. But I'm not sure what you're trying to say, we should time 5th & 6th graders?

[Doll]

Some children pray (all the time) only 5-30 seconds when they ever pray.

I have a hard time myself praying out loud in front of others, and can often do on a few sentences.

I feel prayer is between you and God. Except in specific instances, there's no "set" time you need to pray for it to "count". Just that we need to pray without ceasing, to pray about everything.

[John Henry]

Yeah, but what about when alone?

[TigerShadow]

Yeah, but what about when alone?

The same rule applies. Are you suggesting that we time ourselves? Like, "I have to get in three straight hours of just prayer today in order to be considered a devout believer"? We have a word for that: legalism. Saying that a prayer has to be a certain length or take up a certain amount of time in order to "count" sounds eerily similar to the Pharisees' practice of basically screeching their prayers in the streets.

What you are saying is that a believer is measured by how much quantified time they spend per day praying, and such is not the case. I heartily agree that people should spend more time in solitude for prayer than they do (myself included), but I heartily disagree that people should be measured by this. We are told to pray "without ceasing", but that doesn't mean that twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, we need to be specifically getting on our knees and praying. That means that we live a lifestyle where we are in constant communication with God.

[Blitz]

I can spend half an hour praying on occasion, but I vary a lot. It depends on what you have to say and what is the burden on your heart. There is no need to time prayer.

[Wakko]

I don't think that the time of your prayer effects the prayer itself. As long as your praying and it's sincere.

[Blitz]

Actually it does. That is why people spend long times in solitude or fasting. The quieter and more engrossed we are, the more we learn.

[Wakko]

Actually it does. That is why people spend long times in solitude or fasting. The quieter and more engrossed we are, the more we learn.

I actually agree with you partly. If your prayer is sincere, but it short I think that's fine. If your prayer is long, and you have been fasting and in solitude. That's good too. But if all that was insincere, then there's no point.

[Blitz]

Agreed. It all depends.

[John Henry]

I don't think that the time of your prayer effects the prayer itself. As long as your praying and it's sincere.

I second that!!!