We are a few weeks into our Summer of Prayer and I am finding that the whole thing is a bit of an intrusion on my life. As I mentioned a couple weeks ago in a message – Prayer brings us into the larger realities of God’s presence and purpose for us. Further, in prayer, a movement takes place in me whereby I relinquish control over situations and people as I bring them into the presence of God. Now that is all fine and good to preach, but a bit inconvenient to live.
Sometimes, late at night, I awake and find myself unable to fall asleep. It is in those moments that people come to mind and I begin to worry about them; wondering if they are doing well in their particular life circumstances. Those experiences are an intrusion to my sleeping! I mutter a prayer… “really Lord, I would be a much more rested servant of you if you brought up the needs of people in the daylight hours.” But in the end, since I cannot sleep, I pray unspecific words:
God, help so-and-so know that they are beloved of you.
Jesus, may that person know the grace and forgiveness that exists in you.
Father, let hope increase for the one who feels life is hopeless right now.
May your peace, O Christ, guard their hearts and minds.
Prayer is not always pleasant, in fact it can actually be work! I don’t know if this has been true for you in our Summer of Prayer? If it so, I am truly sorry if you’re experiencing a similar intrusion to your sleep. Yet, I do not think that I am liable for ay undisclosed side-effects to prayer (WARNING: Use of this activity may cause sleeplessness in some individuals).
So weigh in on the conversation – how has prayer disrupted your life?
Kent Place, Lead Pastor
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I don’t know if prayer has disrupted my life, but it certainly is teaching me to listen for the response in a different way. I’ve prayed quite a bit over the years, and at times, with my entire being. There were the times that I was praying as if my life depended on it, because it did. There were times that I remained very quiet for long periods of time in hope that I would hear a voice speak back to me. I’ve prayed and looked for the answer to come from the very next day. I think that I’ve prayed in almost every situation and way imaginable. Many times I’ve compared the level of two-way communication written about in the bible and how things seem today. In frustration, I joke that God suddenly stepped back from the human race for awhile and left us with only the Bible to use as some encrypted how to manual on life. I know that’s not it, but at times, it sure seems like it.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that God answers me. I think that he answers everyone. That’s not to say that God always says yes, but he responds. I believe that the key to becoming aware of how God responds to us is letting go. Letting go of expectations. Letting go of how I think God should respond. Don’t expect God to speak as if he is physical. Make the shift from physical and fall back into the spiritual. By falling, I mean that you really need to trust it enough to not hold on to where you are now. Don’t look as your falling, but feel.
I believe that we can get as close to God as were are willing. Anyone can who chooses. It requires a change in thought and behavior that I’m still trying to fully figure out. I think that we have it backwards if we are try to convince God to come to us, when our life is about learning how to go to him.
The challenge is balance. We live in the physical world. Matters of this world dominate our thoughts. How does one keep up with the demands of everyday living while seeking the spiritual only when we find those infrequent times of peaceful solitude? How do I change my way of living to make more of my days spent with God and not so much with things not of the Divine?
I must remember that this growth process is what most everyone goes through. God knows it. God could change it. God would change it if some other way is better. I’ve come to believe that things are for a reason.
And when the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree,
There will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted there is
Still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be. yeah
There will be an answer, let it be.
The Beatles
Several weeks ago you, Pastor Kent, mentioned praying scripture as a form of prayer. I had never done this and didn't think much about it during your message. Soon afterward I was feeling really burdened by something and had a hard time finding the words to pray about it. I remembered what you said, got out a Bible and used the simple concordance in the back to find the word that fit my emotions best. Then I prayed through the scriptures given. It was very helpful when I was too emotional to be articulate. Thank you for sharing.
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