Unless I’m badly mistaken, one of the main reasons so many of God’s children don’t have a significant prayer life is not so much that we don’t want to, but that we don’t plan to. If you want to take a four-week vacation, you don’t just get up on summer morning and say, “Hey, let’s go today!” You won’t have anything ready. You won’t know where to go. Nothing has been planned. But that is how many of us treat prayer. We get up day after day and realize that significant times of prayer should be a part of our life, but nothing’s ever ready. We don’t know where to go. Nothing has been planned. No time. No place. No procedure. And we all know that opposite of planning is not a wonderful flow of deep, spontaneous experiences in prayer. The opposite of planning is the rut. If you don’t plan a vacation you will probably stay home and watch TV. The natural, unplanned flow of spiritual life sinks to the lowest ebb of vitality. There is a race to be run and a fight to be fought. If you want renewal in your life of prayer you must plan to see it. – John Piper

This hit me like a cast iron skillet to the face when I read it.

I plan out my reading. I plan out my lunches. I plan out my studying. I plan out everything… except intentional, specific times of prayer. I really feel that God laid this quote out for me in order to challenge my schedule and prep time.

I desperately desire to see God’s fruit from my prayer life and I’m unwilling to continue to stumble my way there. It’s not that I believe that scheduling time for prayer will curry God’s favor. It won’t! I’m under no illusion that I can or ever will be able to impress God with my prayer routine or words.

No, the fruit I desire is a deeper level of intimacy with the Father. I want a strong dependence on Him. I want to simply sit in his presence.

Piper is right. There is a race to be run and a fight to be fought. I’m taking steps right now to make sure my heart, soul, and mind is prepared and ready to go. It is time to plan for prayer!!!