Respond to wandering thoughts with humility, not distress.
You're not telling me anything new; you're not the only one who struggles with wandering thoughts. Our mind tends to roam, but since our will is the master of all our faculties, it must bring them back and direct them toward God as their ultimate goal.
When the mind, due to not being adequately calmed through reflection at the outset of our devotion, has developed bad habits of wandering and distraction, they're hard to overcome. They often pull us, even against our will, toward earthly matters.
One remedy for this, I believe, is to confess our faults and humble ourselves before God. I don't recommend using many words in prayer, as lengthy discourses often lead to distraction. Instead, present yourself in prayer before God like a mute or paralytic beggar at a rich man's gate.
Make it your task to keep your mind in the presence of the Lord. If it sometimes strays and separates from Him, don't be too upset: unrest and worry tend to distract the mind more than focus it; the will should bring it back calmly.
If you continue in this way, God will have mercy on you.
Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. When you pray, don't babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they'll be heard for their many words. Don't be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.
If struggling to pray is a common human experience, how does this reassure my heart?
How can I calmly return to God's presence today?
Day 27: Meditating on God
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