Prayer is a tricky thing. When I became a Christian, I was told that praying was like breathing. You simply have a conversation with God all the time, and include him in everything you do. This seems to be in keeping with the well known imperative in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to "pray without ceasing." Sometimes, in an effort to promote this kind of relational prayer, I would journal. Other times I would take long walks and simply ramble to God. And for a while, these practices served me well.
Then, as I began to learn more about God in college, my prayer life began to change. During these "rambling prayers" I began to stop myself and wonder: "Is this really the best way to connect with God? Does God care about every little thing I am pouring out to him? Isn't there something more important I should probably be concerned with?" My questions were likely prompted from studying things like the Lord's Prayer, which includes Jesus' imperative to pray for God's Kingdom above all else.
Another factor that I KNOW impacted my prayer life was the knowledge I was gaining in my Religion classes. Looking back, this makes sense. When you gain more information about someone, the way you relate to them changes. As cleansing as my "rambling prayers" felt at times, they also lacked direction, focus, and were grounded in my wants and desires over God's. During this season, I found myself wanting to pray the words of Scripture. I utilized Psalms, Proverbs, and the instructions of of Jesus and Paul.
Then seminary came along and I was exposed to the concept of "spiritual formation." In fact, they have a whole office dedicated to the task. I was surprised to learn that I could indeed benefit from praying other written prayers, even those that were not found in Scripture. During this period, I fell to the complete opposite end from where I was upon entering college. "Spiritual formation" was all about being intentional, so I intentionally focused my prayer life to express what I thought God's will was in a theologically correct framework. I attended a church, for a while, where congregational prayers were written before being recited. It was not uncommon to hear prayers addressed to "The Triune God" that focused on everything from international relations to environmental issues.
While I've backed off a bit from being quite so rigid, I still like my prayers to be well thought out and accurate in their depiction of God. So how, I've found myself wondering, can I teach my one-year-old daughter to pray? We've recently starting making bed-time prayer a routine for Emily, and I have to admit, I'm often at a loss. I usually thank God for our day and giving us what we need, ask him to help us to do things that make him happy, to forgive us when we mess up, and to help us sleep well. Of course, I end with "Amen," as I do every other prayer.
It hasn't taken Emily long to pick up on this. One night, as Michelle and I held her and prayed, while she looked at us with eyes wide and curious, she began say "Ah-Nah" over and over, during the middle of the prayer. This is how she says "Amen,"but she usually says it at the end of the prayer. She's learned that's what we say when we are finished praying. She says it when her "prayer bear" finishes saying the "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" prayer. Interestingly, she also says it when we finish reading a book! But this time it was different. Why did she insist on repeating it BEFORE I finished praying? She was participating in the only way she knew how. I was trying to be the teacher, but she wasn't the one that came away learning a lesson!
As I look back over my littered prayer life, I see that participation is the most important element. Not being intimate, feeling good, being correct, or even getting an answer. If there is anything we learn from Jesus retreating and praying all the time, or in Paul's admonition to pray without ceasing, it is that prayer involves participation. It isn't something that's done only out of duty or habit, that requires a special level of spirituality or knowledge, or even something that is always rewarded or answered, but it is something that we MUST participate in.
As you strive to actively participate, how is prayer currently expressing itself in your season of life?
Then, as I began to learn more about God in college, my prayer life began to change. During these "rambling prayers" I began to stop myself and wonder: "Is this really the best way to connect with God? Does God care about every little thing I am pouring out to him? Isn't there something more important I should probably be concerned with?" My questions were likely prompted from studying things like the Lord's Prayer, which includes Jesus' imperative to pray for God's Kingdom above all else.
Another factor that I KNOW impacted my prayer life was the knowledge I was gaining in my Religion classes. Looking back, this makes sense. When you gain more information about someone, the way you relate to them changes. As cleansing as my "rambling prayers" felt at times, they also lacked direction, focus, and were grounded in my wants and desires over God's. During this season, I found myself wanting to pray the words of Scripture. I utilized Psalms, Proverbs, and the instructions of of Jesus and Paul.
Then seminary came along and I was exposed to the concept of "spiritual formation." In fact, they have a whole office dedicated to the task. I was surprised to learn that I could indeed benefit from praying other written prayers, even those that were not found in Scripture. During this period, I fell to the complete opposite end from where I was upon entering college. "Spiritual formation" was all about being intentional, so I intentionally focused my prayer life to express what I thought God's will was in a theologically correct framework. I attended a church, for a while, where congregational prayers were written before being recited. It was not uncommon to hear prayers addressed to "The Triune God" that focused on everything from international relations to environmental issues.
It hasn't taken Emily long to pick up on this. One night, as Michelle and I held her and prayed, while she looked at us with eyes wide and curious, she began say "Ah-Nah" over and over, during the middle of the prayer. This is how she says "Amen,"but she usually says it at the end of the prayer. She's learned that's what we say when we are finished praying. She says it when her "prayer bear" finishes saying the "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" prayer. Interestingly, she also says it when we finish reading a book! But this time it was different. Why did she insist on repeating it BEFORE I finished praying? She was participating in the only way she knew how. I was trying to be the teacher, but she wasn't the one that came away learning a lesson!
As I look back over my littered prayer life, I see that participation is the most important element. Not being intimate, feeling good, being correct, or even getting an answer. If there is anything we learn from Jesus retreating and praying all the time, or in Paul's admonition to pray without ceasing, it is that prayer involves participation. It isn't something that's done only out of duty or habit, that requires a special level of spirituality or knowledge, or even something that is always rewarded or answered, but it is something that we MUST participate in.
As you strive to actively participate, how is prayer currently expressing itself in your season of life?
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