No one has it down.
This is one of Life's unending challenges. So many areas - the thought life, the tongue, the body, food, entertainment, idle time. Where is the balance?
Soldier, you have the Indwelling Holy Spirit. He is not an element, He is a Person. He is present to shed light, to lead and to empower.
There is no such thing as "doing everything right" and it is foolish to think that such a journey will eliminate what appears to be failure or heartache.
How did Paul end up in coupling chains? Certainly not from a lack of discipline.
We live in a fallen world. Our job is to obey the Word of God by prayer, resulting in a faith walk.
The number one discipline in the life of the Soldier of The Cross is the devotional life. There must be a separate time for taking in The Word. If that does not happen, there is no real prayer life because there is no fuel.
There must be a prayer time that is not while driving or doing dishes. If you are in prison and never alone, the Lord may provide an early morning time, but if there is no such opportunity, that's different. Young mothers often tell me there is no time, but the truth is, she does not have an opportunity to be alone with God at a time when her body feels like it has enough energy to pray.
The prayer life is a matter of determination and making the body respond to the vision. It is absolutely true that there may be a day when there are no moments available. That is not often the case. It is not about being ritualistic, it is about meeting with the Lover of Your Soul.
Soldier, stand before Him and commit anew to knowing Him and following hard after Him. Commit again to taking up The Cross daily.
Do this aloud.
Today.