Praying Around the House

Does sitting in a chair praying for people (even those you love) produce droopy eyelids or wandering thoughts? It can be hard to concentrate on praying, even with a list or journal in your lap. You want to be an active prayer warrior, but somehow, you just can’t focus.

Have you ever considered praying in motion? Doing something while you pray?

This habit began for me during my baby-rocking years. Although I loved sitting in the rocking chair, feeding my baby or lulling him to sleep, I couldn’t help but add up the “unproductive” hours in my head. In an effort to multi-task, I took to praying over him.

I prayed over my baby’s eyes to see good and shun evil, his hands to help people, his feet to carry him to mission, his mind to know the Word, his heart to believe in Jesus.

As my children grew and became more mobile, I prayed around the house. While doing the laundry, I prayed over the pants and socks and shirts—that their wearers would follow God and flee from sin. As I ironed shirts, I prayed for arms to embrace others and hearts to seek God. In the kitchen, I prayed for hungry hearts and minds, for social graces, for fun family dinners and game nights around the table. In the living room, I prayed for peaceful evenings and protection from harmful media images.

At night, I often sat beside their beds and prayed in the dark, over troubling friendships, pending decisions, and bright futures. I prayed against the forces of evil that came against them daily.

Just as the Lord’s house is called a house of prayer, I want my house to be the same. And I have found that praying in motion—in the steps and actions of everyday life—is one of the best ways to make that happen and some of the most active spiritual warfare I can wage.