making the effort to pray

the idea of having to make 'effort' to pray seems kinda like a paradox

afterall the idea behind praying is essentially talking to God. Communicating intimately with your heavenly Father.

what's so difficult about that? I mean, when i talk to my friends, it's usually easy and spontaneous. Most of the time the only thing stopping me is that they're not always with me. So talking to God should be way easier, afterall He's with me all the time, right?

so why then do i not pray more? simply dedicating the time to God whether i'm at work or at home. or just taking the time out to tell Him i love Him?

perhaps it's the devil hard at work, putting things in our way so we forget to converse with God or filling our day with so many worries so that we forget what's really important.

Either way, it's no small task to set aside time for God... but the result of doing so is just amazing. Tiredness, loneliness, worries are all stripped away. Strength is renewed, pride humbled and the closeness and intimacy of a relationship with the good Lord is strengthened. How amazing and sufficient His grace and mercy is!