I find consolation when I read in St. Paul’s letter to the Romans: “we do not know how to pray as we ought.” If the great Apostle could say that certainly the likes of me can accept my frustrations in prayer. When people talk about their experiences in prayer I feel inadequate. I don’t have profound movements and ecstasies. The temptation is to imagine that praying is for great spiritual athletes and ordinary blokes like me just aren’t good at it. St. Paul insists that we should pray as we can, not comparing ourselves to others. Prayer is not an accomplishment, an achievement that comes about through our effort. Prayer is something that the Spirit does. “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.”
