“Prayer is turning towards God, if you can’t pray just turn towards God.”
Thomas Merton
“We look upon prayer simply as a means of getting things for ourselves, but the Biblical purpose of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.”
Oswald Chambers
Sometimes we tend to mystify the practice of prayer, as if it is some magical practice that, if done correctly, will allow a divine being to grant all of our requests. That is not what prayer is. Prayer is simply having a relationship with God. There are many ways to pray but only one God, and God never intended for it to be difficult to talk to Him.
Scripture:
• Spend some time slowly reading and meditating on John 17:22,23,26.
Reflection:
• What makes it difficult for you to concentrate in prayer?
• How do you tend to react to distractions in prayer?
• What do distractions in prayer reveal about your core identity and concerns?
Practice:
• The ancient Jews believed that prayer began with an intentional awareness of God’s presence, “know before whom you are standing” (Berakhot 28b). Find a quiet place either at a park or in your home. Imagine God is sitting with you either in a chair or on a bench, give him a physical space to be. Just begin to have a conversation sharing all your hopes, frustrations, pain, and joy. What does God want to tell you? Ask Him questions and then just listen.
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