| LIVE IT WEEKLY Sunday, October 5, 2025 |
| OVERCOMING 5 OBSTACLES
TO EXTRAORDINARY PRAYER
+ Discussion on Charlie Kirk Effect, 40 Days for Life at the Abortuary, Toledo Walk for Vocations & “Triumph of the Heart” Movie (Ep. 482)
We live in a noisy world that pulls us in every direction. Even faithful Catholics—going to Mass, reading Scripture, praying the rosary—can find themselves languishing, restless, or feeling like the flame inside is dim. The truth is, prayer is not about doing more, but about being opened more fully to God. Jesus shows us that true prayer is intimate communion with the Father. The gift is always available—but often we are blocked by obstacles.
Here are five common obstacles to extraordinary prayer, along with how to overcome them:
1. Distraction: Hearts Pulled in a Thousand Directions
Malphas Memo: “Keep them busy. Let noise fill their minds. If they’re scattered, they’ll never hear God.”
Insight: Studies show we check our phones 96 times a day on average—every 10 minutes. No wonder we struggle to hear God’s voice.
Saint’s Wisdom: St. Teresa of Ávila: “Settle yourself in solitude, and you will come upon God in yourself.”
Live IT Practice: Begin prayer with one minute of silence. Breathe deeply, repeating: “Be still and know that I am God.”
2. Baggage: Carrying Wounds and Unhealed Memories
Malphas Memo: “Tell them faith means pretending nothing hurts. If the past owns them, prayer will stay shallow.”
Insight: The CDC’s ACE study shows unresolved childhood trauma raises risk of depression and anxiety 12-fold. Prayer must meet us where we are wounded.
Saint’s Wisdom: St. Augustine: “The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.”
Live IT Practice: Bring one painful memory into prayer. Ask Jesus: “Where were You in this?”
3. Transactional Thinking: Using Prayer Like a Vending Machine
Malphas Memo: “Convince them prayer is about getting results. When answers delay, they’ll give up.”
Insight: Psychology confirms people abandon habits if they don’t see quick results—yet growth requires consistency.
Saint’s Wisdom: St. John Chrysostom: “Prayer is a place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness.”
Live IT Practice: Shift focus from outcomes to presence. End prayer daily with: “Jesus, thank You for being here.”
4. Fear of Vulnerability: Afraid to Let God In
Malphas Memo: “Make them believe they must look perfect before God. Shame will keep them at arm’s length.”
Insight: Brené Brown’s research shows vulnerability is the birthplace of connection—without it, relationships remain surface-level.
Saint’s Wisdom: St. Thérèse of Lisieux: “Prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven.”
Live IT Practice: Pray aloud, simply and honestly: “Lord, I feel weak here—come into it.”
5. Forgetting Eternity: Living Only for the Now
Malphas Memo: “Distract them with comfort and success. If they forget eternity, the present will always win.”
Insight: Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning revealed those with transcendent purpose endured even Auschwitz with hope.
Saint’s Wisdom: St. Ignatius of Loyola: “Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God… and by this means to save his soul.”
Live IT Practice: Each night ask: “How did I live today with eternity in mind?”
Extraordinary prayer is not beyond our reach. It is the Spirit’s gift, always available when we clear away the obstacles. Let us make space to be opened, to hear, to receive.
👉 Listen to this week’s IGNITE Radio Live program as we walk through these five obstacles—and the path to communion with God that resuscitates the soul.
Timely Links:
My Crisis Magazine article today: America at the Edge of Awakening: Faith, Disorder, and the Forgiveness That Could Save a Republic
Be refreshed. Be challenged. Be transformed. |
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Greg & Stephanie Schlueter,
Image Trinity | Mass Impact
Greg@MassImpact.us | (814) 449-8808
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EPISODE 482:
OVERCOMING 5 OBSTACLES TO EXTRAORDINARY PRAYER
+ Discussion on Charlie Kirk Effect, 40 Days for Life at the Abortuary, Toledo Walk for Vocations & “Triumph of the Heart” Movie (Ep. 482)
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