Let’s face it, unspiritual people do not pray very often.  If you want to have an active prayer life, the first thing you must do is make sure that you are faithful to God and committed to His ways.  You must have a mind that is focused on heaven and heavenly things.

Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV)
¹  If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Setting our minds on things above, involves, not just thinking about heaven itself, but being focused on things that come from heaven.  All spiritual blessings fall into that category, including prayer.  Prayer is a gift from heaven, a privilege that God has given us to enhance our relationship with Him.  Our part is to use this blessing.

A lack of commitment to God stops us from praying as often as we should.  This is because we are all committed to something.  If it is not to God and things pertaining to Him, it is to the things of this world.  Paul warned us about getting too attached to worldly things.

2 Timothy 2:4 (ESV)
⁴  No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.

This is one of the biggest dangers we face as Christians today.  We get so caught up in the affairs of this life that we find ourselves having very little time for the things that are really important, beginning with God.  We end up being uncommitted to God because we are too busy with earthly commitments.  The solution is to determine that we have time for God, even if it means dropping some worldly functions that are eating up our time.

Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV)
¹⁵  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶  making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

When we give more time to sports, TV, recreation, entertainment, jobs, family, friends, etc., than we do to God, we are not making the best use of our time.  We have become entangled in the affairs of this life, and God is usually left out.

We should be able to see how this lack of commitment to God can adversely affect our prayer life. Jesus tells us how to best live our lives.  

Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
³³  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Seeking first the kingdom of God means to seek the rule of God over our lives, and the reign of God in our hearts.  Prayer is a real part of doing this.  If we are seeking God first in our lives, praying is something that we will naturally do, and we will do it often.  Let’s not allow a lack of commitment to God to get in the way of praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).            

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.