by Paul Miller.
Our pastor has recommended this book a number of times. I finally bought it. Now, according to my Kindle, I've read 58% of it. Over the years, I've read a number of books on prayer. This one is in my top three.
As I've read, I've realized that I often ask God's advice as if God is my life-consultant rather than my God. As I talk to Him about a given situation, my brain will continue to churn through possibilities and what-if scenarios. I'm asking but I'm not listening for an answer. I think that's not really praying. It's saying words - empty words - words without any meat in them.
Have you ever tried to talk to someone when they're watching TV or reading the paper? It's pretty frustrating because it's obvious that they're not listening to you. One of the associate pastors at my church once told the story of his toddler who was in exactly that situation: Daddy sat on the sofa as he read the paper. She sat next to him and talked with the enthusiasm of one who has recently discovered the gift of language. He nodded and uttered noises of acknowledgment from time to time, but the toddler knew that he wasn't really paying any attention. In her frustration, she grabbed his face with her two little hands and turned it towards her, making him look at her.
I'm pretty sure God does that to us. He uses various life circumstances to metaphorically grab our face and turn our gaze towards Him. For the past few months, I've been praying for financial provision for a young couple I know. The other day when I prayed, I didn't just spew out the words, I turned both my heart and my thoughts towards God and asked Him to provide for them. Two days later, I spoke with the young wife who had just found out that one of their outstanding bills had been miscalculated. It's actually $500 less than the original bill indicated. I'm still in awe.
According to Miller, "dependency is the heartbeat of prayer." When I pray while continuing to suss out the problem, I'm not being dependent on God. I'm going through the motions, but I don't really think I need God for this particular situation. My prayers are just a token acknowledgment of Him. I'll figure it out, but when I drop everything and turn my full attention to Him, when I'm fully engaged with Him, my dependency is real and that's when I open the door for God to step in. That's when I open the door for miracles to happen - miracles like a reduced medical bill out of the blue.
I've often thought that we're all so very dependent on God. Some of us are just more aware of it than others. I don't like being dependent, but it's a fact, not an option we're given to choose or reject. Reading A Praying Life has stirred something in me - I want to stop wasting my time with empty prayers, empty words. I want to turn and be fully engaged when I pray. I want to embrace my God-dependency and then hang out with Him and watch while He answers my prayers.
Our pastor has recommended this book a number of times. I finally bought it. Now, according to my Kindle, I've read 58% of it. Over the years, I've read a number of books on prayer. This one is in my top three.
As I've read, I've realized that I often ask God's advice as if God is my life-consultant rather than my God. As I talk to Him about a given situation, my brain will continue to churn through possibilities and what-if scenarios. I'm asking but I'm not listening for an answer. I think that's not really praying. It's saying words - empty words - words without any meat in them.
Have you ever tried to talk to someone when they're watching TV or reading the paper? It's pretty frustrating because it's obvious that they're not listening to you. One of the associate pastors at my church once told the story of his toddler who was in exactly that situation: Daddy sat on the sofa as he read the paper. She sat next to him and talked with the enthusiasm of one who has recently discovered the gift of language. He nodded and uttered noises of acknowledgment from time to time, but the toddler knew that he wasn't really paying any attention. In her frustration, she grabbed his face with her two little hands and turned it towards her, making him look at her.
I'm pretty sure God does that to us. He uses various life circumstances to metaphorically grab our face and turn our gaze towards Him. For the past few months, I've been praying for financial provision for a young couple I know. The other day when I prayed, I didn't just spew out the words, I turned both my heart and my thoughts towards God and asked Him to provide for them. Two days later, I spoke with the young wife who had just found out that one of their outstanding bills had been miscalculated. It's actually $500 less than the original bill indicated. I'm still in awe.
According to Miller, "dependency is the heartbeat of prayer." When I pray while continuing to suss out the problem, I'm not being dependent on God. I'm going through the motions, but I don't really think I need God for this particular situation. My prayers are just a token acknowledgment of Him. I'll figure it out, but when I drop everything and turn my full attention to Him, when I'm fully engaged with Him, my dependency is real and that's when I open the door for God to step in. That's when I open the door for miracles to happen - miracles like a reduced medical bill out of the blue.
I've often thought that we're all so very dependent on God. Some of us are just more aware of it than others. I don't like being dependent, but it's a fact, not an option we're given to choose or reject. Reading A Praying Life has stirred something in me - I want to stop wasting my time with empty prayers, empty words. I want to turn and be fully engaged when I pray. I want to embrace my God-dependency and then hang out with Him and watch while He answers my prayers.
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