From the book “The Power of Stillness”
Communing: Like One Person Talking to Another
“Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue; God’s voice is the most essential secret of
the assurance that He will listen to mine.” –Andrew Murray
The Problem:
Justin brushes his teeth while watching the clock. It’s getting later and the fatigue of the day is wearing on him. As praying crosses his mind, he thinks, “What’s the point? If it’s just going to be another empty twenty-second telemarketer exchange with God, there is no sense in burning what little attention and time I have.”
Prayer used to feel more effective, deep and meaningful for Justin. However, relentless worries and responsibilities had crowded the old lane to God over the years, making prayer now just another guilt-tinged item poking out of the crush of tasks to accomplish.
Even so, crawling out of bed, Justin mutters a prayer in his mind: “Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for my blessings. Please help me to have a good night’s sleep and a good day tomorrow. . . ” Before he gets to “Amen” he slumps over and drifts off to sleep.
Overview
Even those who have spent a lifetime seeking God experience times when prayer feels mundane, shallow and empty. Reexamining how we approach and think about prayer can open us to new insights and create space for us to get “unstuck” from hollow prayer habits.
Christ prepared for and sustained his very difficult ministry by regularly retreating into solitary communion with Heavenly Father. His practical example demonstrates how we can build our own spiritual resiliency, thus staying engaged in the difficult work Heavenly Father may require of us.
Rather than something to repeatedly accomplish or to get done, prayer can be experienced as a sacred, mindful practice—bringing the body and mind to a pause, noticing what’s going on inside, directing (and redirecting) attention to God, and seeking to soften and yield our hearts.
Creating more silence for quiet reflection within our conversations gives Heavenly Father space where He can do His work and help us receive direction we encounter in that divine silence (while compassionately noting partial answers and continued limitations on our understanding). Like a fire that warms the body, this kind of prayer warms the soul.
Meaningful prayer doesn’t always have to be eloquent, lengthy, of deeply philosophical. Prayer can feel as familiar and nourishing as pausing, with full presence, to receive a hug from a beloved wise friend. Simple ‘daily bread’ prayers also have a valuable place at the table.
~Jacob Z. Hess, Carrie L. Skarda, Kyle D, Anderson, Ty R. Mansfield, The Power of Stillness (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2019) 41-42. (continued. . .)
