Five Reasons to Pray in Your Car

"Jesus Take the Wheel . . ." I belt out the chorus along with Carrie Underwood as I cruise down the interstate. What a great song! But most of the time, my car radio is off. When I'm behind the wheel, I'm usually in prayer. Here are five reasons to pray while you're driving in your car:

Make your commute an uplifting experience

Several years ago, my commute was really stressing me out. Because of some road construction projects that were impossible to avoid, my usual 45 minute drive was an hour or more each way. What a waste of time! I came home grouchy, tired, annoyed, and stressed. Then a friend of mine suggested that I use that time for prayer. It did make sense. When else am I completely alone?

I readily admit that I'm not very disciplined in setting aside time to pray. It seems I am always running and reacting and busy and collapsing into bed at the end of the day. But in my car, my only job is to watch the road. And while I drive, I love to talk. So I tried turning off the radio and talking to God. And talking and talking. Before long, I discovered that the hour behind the wheel would fly by. I came home relaxed, focused, and peaceful.

Spend quiet time alone. And listen.

Now that I have kids, I find that my life is rarely quiet. I recently returned to work part-time as a high school teacher. My job is a constant stream of interaction--definitely not quiet. Oh, how the 25 minutes in my car twice a day is pure gold! Precious, precious silence. When I'm done praising, asking, thanking, and venting to my Best Friend, I just drive. I listen for God's voice.

Spend quality time with your family

As much as I'm alone in the car, I'm also running a taxi service for my kids. I don't completely bare my soul in front of my preschoolers, but they hear me pray. We pray for people we know, for our problems, for the ambulance racing past our car. We say what we're thankful for. My kids might join in or just listen. I've noticed that sometimes, while I'm praying, my little ones are quietly saying their own prayers. I don't always understand the 2 year-old, but I know God does.

My husband and I always start off our family road trips with a prayer for safety and blessings for our travels. I feel safe, and so do my kids.

Combat road rage

It's hard to be impatient and angry with other drivers while you're in conversation with Jesus. Very little bothers me when I use my time in the car to pray. I am kinder, more polite, and considerably safer behind the wheel.

Connect with God

I've been in car-prayer for about six years now. But in the past couple of months something amazing has been happening. I made a conscious effort to start my prayers, my drive, my day, by praising God. I just tell Him how amazing and wonderful and awesome He is. I look around and compliment him on the beautiful trees, the gorgeous sky. That's when I really started to notice the sky every morning. I look for God there. I'm always reminded of the beginning verses of Psalm 19:

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
The skies proclaim the work of His hands."

As I praise God, I'll notice a break in the clouds, a ray of sunlight, a glistening in the trees, soft pink sunrises, a lightening in the gray--precious details in the world I had never bothered to really notice before. And I feel like it's just for me. God, who created all that I see, uses something as vast as the sky to talk to little 'ol me . . . to encourage little 'ol me and assure me that He is with me and taking care of everything. I am filled with wonder and tears several mornings a week. My problems seem so small when I look up at that sky.

Amazing what happens when you say, "Jesus, take the wheel."