My mind likes to wonder. I’ve had this problem for as long as I can remember. I will be listening to someone or something, and have several other unrelated thoughts going through my mind at the same time. It’s inconvenient, rude, and frustrating, so I tried to find a way to help myself. At church, I’d doodle while I listened, and that helped. When I’m watching TV, I window shop on my phone. I can listen better when I preoccupy my mind with something else. It doesn’t quiet all of the other noise, but most.

When I pray, I do so out loud, and while I’m cleaning, or doing something with my hands. My mind still wonders, but not as much as it used to. Years ago, I would pretend that God didn’t know I got sidetracked while talking to Him, and I’d move on in our conversation as if He were completely oblivious. It wasn’t until my dad gave me a Psalm to memorize that I saw where I went wrong, and changed how I communicated with God.

Psalm 139 reminds us that God is everywhere, and knows everything. We cannot hide from our Father, try as we might. I have disruptive thoughts at times, during my talks with God. He knows this, and I know this, but in order to gain a more intimate relationship with Him, I have to acknowledge them. Now, when my mind wonders while praying, I stop, and tell Him what the thought was, apologize, and continue. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable, but my reward for doing this is feeling even closer, and more connected to our Creator.