He Prayed to Lean In—Not to Be Seen

You May Not Know This About Jesus-He Prayed to Lean In-Not to Be Seen There's this dream I've had more than once-I'm running barefoot across green fields, or dodging defenders on a football field, or sprinting through neighborhood streets. I'm pushing hard, but everything's sluggish. Like I'm running in sand. When I wake, the feeling of the dream lingers. I'm not physically tired, but I feel stuck-as if I'm trying, and failing, to move forward. That's how I sometimes feel when I pray. I want prayer to come effortlessly, like a light-footed runner enjoying the race. But the sands of fatigue, distraction, boredom, and indifference bog me down. And then I think of the disciples. In Gethsemane, even after Jesus pleaded, "Watch and pray," they kept falling asleep. These weren't strangers-they were His friends. Witnesses. Believers. More than believers, disciples. And even they couldn't stay present. Maybe that's why they asked Jesus-not the religious leaders-"Teach us to pray." They'd seen the Pharisees perform their prayers like stage actors, seeking applause. But Jesus wasn't like that. He slipped away when no one was watching. He prayed before the crowds could gather. Before choosing the Twelve, He prayed all night. Before walking on water, He climbed a mountain alone. Before the Cross, He wept in a garden. I've read the Gospels month by month, year after year. And this truth keeps surfacing: Jesus didn't pray for show. He prayed to lean in. To be close. To be heard by the One who mattered most. And maybe the reason He didn't get bogged down like I do is because He was drawing strength from the Father. He didn't push through the fatigue-He leaned into the Father's presence. And that changed everything. When I try to pray in my own strength, I sink. But when I lean in-like Jesus did-the sand is still there . . . but my feet grow lighter.