The title of this post was my facebook status today and I have worried my poor friend Nicole I'm including the explanation of my status here.
This weeks readings from the Hope Lives Study is focusing on prayer.
"Pray Continuously" I Thessalonians 5:17. A line in todays study reads: "Prayer is a relationship-a constant relationship, like breathing.
As I read that I was reminded of a conversation I had with a good friend of mine a while back. I was describing a period of time when I just wasn't praying and wasn't reading my bible. I was still going to church and living a decent life. But that daily, purposeful relationship just wasn't there. Her response was "Kelly, you've stopped breathing." Now, everytime I'm going through one of those times and we talk I say; "I've stopped breathing again." When it comes to prayer I am much like the Israelites who have to learn the lesson over and over and over again!
Oh, people call with prayer requests or send and email with a request and I breathe a prayer for them at that moment. I carry them in my heart, I try to respond in other ways. But setting aside that time for purposeful conversation with God where I'm both talking and listening comes and goes for me. I'm not sure why that is......I know that my faith is much stronger when my days include disciplines of prayer and bible reading. Yet, it comes and goes. I have been fairly consistent over the last three months about daily readings. I have whispered prayers here and there but I have realized that when it comes to that constant relationship kind of praying that I have once again stopped breathing. Thus comes the realization that resuscitation is needed! Breathe in me Oh God a new awakening to your presence in my life.....May we be in conversation with one another. May my heart and soul be opened to recieve the messages you have for me.
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awww, yep, I get it. You know - this is an area I have struggle with a lot. but reading this makes me realize that I think over the last couple of years I have begun to look at prayer differently. I think I have developed an "ongoing, open diaglogue" with God - I used to be so intimidated by prayer and the notion that it had to be with head bowed, and "oh yea and thou".... now I look at it as ongoing convo with my best friend - everything throughout the day I share with Him. I think a very important piece that we miss out on is the LISTENING part - ouch.... my spirituality class a couple summers ago helped me with this - showed me the importance of turning everything off and going AWAY and just being silent - in God's presence. That is one of the incredible things about Africa - there isn't as much "noise" - so, we have to decide here to turn off the TV, the computer, the phones - and be alone and be silent - okay - glad to see you are on the path to breathing again:)
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