Have you ever been distracted in prayer? I certainly have. Sometimes it’s because I’m sleepy, or thinking about my long to-do list, or interrupted by a notification on my phone. 

When prayer is difficult, it can help us to remember that in prayer, we join in work God is already doing. As Adonis Vidu wrote in his recent article for The Carson Center for Theological Renewal, “Before the Christian even considers praying, there’s already a twofold intercession occurring.” First, Jesus Christ reveals God’s Word and will to us, and then he intercedes before the Father on our behalf (Rom. 8:34). Second, the Holy Spirit “intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (v. 26). As Calvin explains, the Spirit “excites in us sighs, and wishes, and confidence, which our natural powers are not at all able to conceive.”

Biblical prayer then, while difficult, is an act of dependence. As Vidu explains, “[Prayer] isn’t an autonomous human action. . . . We enter into resonance with a prayer that’s already going on in the Trinity itself.” The Son intercedes for us, and the Spirit leads us in harmony with the Savior’s prayer and thus with his will. Joining in the prayers of the Trinity may sound mystical, but it’s actually quite practical. 

Throughout church history, Christians have prayed by repeating God’s words back to him. When we pray, for instance, the Psalms or Paul’s prayers, the Bible’s words train our hearts and minds to speak in concert with how the Son speaks. We also learn to pray with the Spirit when we pray God’s words together with his Spirit-filled people. 

So if you’re distracted in prayer, remember you don’t have to conjure up impressive words and emotions of your own. You can simply meet with a Christian friend, open God’s Word together, and join in with what the Trinity is already praying.