After three weeks I do feel like this has been a useful hunt for me. Each week I’ve come to this point and feel like I have something worth sharing. I’m aware this is a hope blog, so what I’m hoping is that anyone reading this will see how my hunt for a deeper relationship with God is seeing fruit without me doing anything that can’t be done by everyone. I share what I find in the hope it will encourage you in your walk with God, to discover more about his love and care for you, or to dare to discover God for the first time. I share because, even though I feel I have a faith I can rely on, I want to go deeper and hope I always will.
Anyway, after another week of hunting through prayer, here’s what I’ve got to share with you.
Last week I set myself the goal of using the Anglican Night Prayer liturgy. I’d tried using the Examen (see previous post) but hadn’t found it useful. I did find Night Prayer useful. The structure at the end of the day kept me focused on God, the repetition helped to keep a routine, and the room for general prayer came after already getting my mind focused on God. I could use that time to bring the worries of the day, the people I love and care about, and the days highlights to God and sleep easier as a result. There’s an app on the phone/tablet called ‘Daily Prayer’ that has all the liturgy and takes a lot of the complication out of it. And because it is widely available, it’s easy to think of others saying the same words and prayers across the world and across the ages. It was easy to feel connected to other Christians. At least for this season, I will continue to use Night Prayer.
My second goal for this week was to keep a prayer journal. I found keeping a specific prayer journal was confusing (as in, I didn’t know what to write) but mainly because I already keep a general journal, and I have a journal for people I pray for which includes some specifics they have asked for prayer for (because otherwise I forget!)
It has been a good discipline to include what I’ve talked to God about in my normal journalling (also helps with journalling honestly). In turn, that has helped me to be honest with God about my worries and concerns instead of censoring myself. So again, I’ve found it a useful practice which I intend to keep up.
There has been an additional discovery this week. In Max Lucado’s book, he sums up prayer as ‘we speak, God listens. God speaks, we listen‘. As I’ve spent more time being honest with God, I’ve found myself able to recognise his voice more. Interestingly, although mornings are not a good time for me to bring my prayers and concerns to God, it is a good time for me to hear God’s voice. I think…
I do have some more nuggets from Lucado’s book. He uses a couple of analogies that are really useful. He talks about his dad being a mechanic and being able to fix things if only Max would ask him to help. How often do we stubbornly refuse to ask for help? He also uses the analogy of a pilot. If you take a flight and know and trust the pilot, if you come across turbulence you don’t worry because you know you’re in good hands. God is a trusted pair of hands. We can bring prayers to him and trust his response. 1 Peter 5:7 says Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
He also used some biblical examples to give some advice. He uses a story of blind beggars crying out for healing as a response for when prayers aren’t answered straight away. His tip is one of encouragement. The blind men cried out persistently, personally and passionately. We should too.
And the story Jesus at the wedding in Cana when they run out of wine. Mary presents the problem to Jesus and leaves it with him. She has complete trust in how he responds. Sometimes we can be tempted to bring a request to God, and then refuse to let go of it and still try to fix it ourselves.
So, persistent, personal and passionate prayer, but also not holding onto worries or anxieties. The point of praying is to bring our cares to God and trust him with them, and therefore to be able to find some peace.
Anyway, one more week of prayer (then we move onto a different discipline!) My goals are to intentionally ask others how I can support them in prayer, and to combine everything I’ve learned so far and just honestly approach God as a father with all my good news and requests and leave them with God instead of holding onto them. Oh, and finish the Max Lucado book.
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